HIS    COMRADES 


THE  LIBRARY ._ 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 

IN  MEMORY  OF 

James  J.  McBride 

PRESENTED  BY 

Margaret  McBride 


A 

SOLDIER'S  HONOR 


WITH   REMINISCENCES  OF 
MAJOR-GENERAL  EARL  VAN  DORN 


BY 

HIS   COMRADES 


THE 

Sbbcg  Press 

PUBLISHERS 

114 
FIFTH    AVENUE 

London  NEW  YORK  Montreal 


A  Soldier's  Honor. 


Copyright    1903, 

by 
THE 

Bbbeg 


£ 


"  I  desire  to  call  your  attention  to  these  facts  : — That  I  have  been  a  soldier  for 
nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century  ;  that  my  career  has  been  an  eventful  one  ;  that  I 
have  accumulated  nothing  of  the  world's  wealth,  having  devoted  my  whole  life 
and  energies  to  the  service  of  my  country ;  and  that,  therefore,  my  reputation  is 
all  that  belongs  to  me,  without  which  life  to  me  were  as  valueless  as  the  crisp 
and  faded  leaf  of  autumn.  I  asked  no  sympathy,  but  I  do  ask  at  your  hands  a 
patient,  full,  and  searching  investigation."  (Page  158.) 

"  In  this  tribunal  I  know  that  my  character  is  safe,  but  the  accusations  against 
me  will  take  an  enduring  form,  by  becoming  part  of  the  archives  of  the  nation ; 
and  the  jealousy  with  which  a  soldier  guards  his  reputation,  prompts  me  to  place 
by  their  side  an  antidote  to  the  poison  they  contain."  (Page  156.) 


f*  /!  C"  •* 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  A  Once  Fair  Section.            -                        ...  9 

II.  Birth.  Education.  Marriage,                                               •  I? 

III.  Mexican  War,             -                                     ...  23 

IV.  Texas,  Indian  Fights,       -                                     .            .  27 
V.  Civil  War.      -                       ....  43 

VI.  In  Virginia.           ......  54 

VII.  Arkansas  Campaign,              -                       -           -           -  62 

VIII.  Vicksburg,                                      ....  76 

IX  Corinth.                        .....  112 

X.  Holly  Springs, •  231 

XI.  Visit  Home,    -.-••--244 

XII.  Last  Days,           '- 246 

Appendix,       -  •  •  •  •  •  -281 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGB 

MAJOR-GENERAL  EARL  VAN  DORN Frontispiece 

THE  VAN  DORN  HOME 12 

VlCKSBURG,   FROM  THE   RlVER 76 

CAVES  IN  VICKSBURG  DURING  THE  SIEGE 78 

STREET  IN  VICKSBURG 80 

LEVEE  AT  VICKSBURG 84 

COTTON  BOAT  ON  THE  MISSISSIPPI  RIVER 88 

FORT  VAN  DORN 92 

"  WATER-MILLIONS  " 94 

THE  OFFICERS' CORNER  MOUND,  E.  NATIONAL  CEMETERY,  VICKSBURG...  98 

MINT  BAYOU,  NEAR  VICKSBURG 106 

VAN  DORN  AND  FORREST 278 


A  SOLDIER'S  HONOR. 


CHAPTER  I. 

A   ONCE   FAIR   SECTION. 

FELLOW  pilgrim  of  earth ,  in  this  work-a-day  world,  let  us 
for  a  brief  time  turn  back  the  wheels  of  "  progress  "  from  the 
tumult  and  turmoil  of  trade,  the  roar  of  factories  and  noise  of  com- 
merce, the  odors  of  coal  oil  and  smoke,  the  rush  and  scurry  of  busi- 
ness, and  return  to  the  beauty  and  repose  of  the  long  ago,  before 
industry  had  taken  the  place  of  art,  the  useful  the  place  of  the 
beautiful,  and  arithmetic  the  place  of  poetry,  and  take  a  plunge 
into  the  joys  of  the  infinite,  feel  a  sense  of  the  blessings  of  the  God 
of  life,  and  become,  as  it  were,  drunk  with  poetry, — and  go  to  a 
green  spot  of  earth  where  a  bit  of  the  kingdom  had  come  down, 
and  the  men,  women  and  children  loved  God  and  kept  His  com- 
mandments ;  where  the  sun  and  moon  shone  unobstructed,  the 
blue  vault  was  magnificently  starred,  the  air  vibrated  with  the 
melody  of  birds  and  the  incense  of  flowers,  and  where  all  nature 
smiled  in  love  and  crowned  humanity  with  exquisite  joy  and 
ineffable  peace. 

I  should  be  glad  to  put  such  magic  words  into  these  lines  as 
would  transport  you,  like  the  magic  carpet  of  fairy  land,  to  this 
once  fair  section  of  America,  and  acquaint  you  with  the  surpassing 
beauty  of  its  natural  and  human  aspects ;  acquaint  you  with  its 
once  regal  homes,  lovely  women  and  noble  men.  I  would  dazzle 
you  with  tales  of  their  heroism,  and  portray  the  delicately  gifted 
and  lofty  qualities  of  the  people  that  made  life  splendid  and  im- 
pressive, and  gave  them  a  force  and  influence  all  their  own. 
Honor,  truth,  integrity, — virtue,  gentleness,  purity,  formed  the 
triumvirate  basis  of  character  and  the  pivot  round  which  their 
daily  lives  revolved. 

9 


io  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

Not  that  these  people  were  exclusive  and  apart  from  the  outside 
world,  for  like  the  robins  they  fled  in  season  to  cooler  climes  and 
built  summer  nests,  to  return  in  autumn  with  the  spoils  of  grace- 
ful contact  with  the  gay  world,  its  culture  and  literature.  The 
women  never  forgot  to  replenish  their  wardrobes  with  the  latest 
fabrics  and  fashions,  and  the  men  with  outfits  from  the  tailors  of 
Paris  and  London.  Eureopean  travel  was  included  in  their  sum- 
mer tours  as  well  as  the  resorts  of  this  country,  and  the  possession 
of  wealth  afforded  gratification  of  every  desire.  The  men  and 
women  were  not  absorbed  by  but  were  simply  martyrs  to  tailors, 
modistes  and  milliners,  wearing  whatsoever  they  prescribed,  tak- 
ing no  thought  or  care  as  to  style,  color  or  cost,  any  more  than  as 
they  made  up  the  concomitants  of  a  proper  and  becoming  appear- 
ance. To  explain  the  meaning  of  this,  a  lady  who  was  an  active 
worker  in  a  church  was  fitted  out  by  her  milliner  with  a  hat  of  the 
then  prevailing  "  corn-color  " ;  she  donned  the  appendage  to  her 
toilet  entirely  oblivious  as  to  its  color  or  mode,  and  wore  it  to 
church.  The  minister  at  once  observed  the  color  and  remarked 
with  an  air  of  pity,  that  "  poor  Miss  Jane  had  to  wear  a  yellow 
bonnet  because  it  was  the  fashion !  "  But  the  "  yellow  "  hat  failed 
to  claim  the  thoughts  of  the  wearer  or  to  cool  her  ardor  in  church 
work,  donning  the  hat  simply  as  a  covering  to  her  head  and  be- 
cause her  milliner  had  supplied  it. 


The  section  of  country  in  question  was  once  part  of  a  pictu- 
resque tract  of  land  owned  by  a  Mr.  Gibson.  It  was  intersected 
and  made  fruitful  and  luxuriant  by  a  stream  known  as  the  "  Bayou 
Pierre,"  which  was  a  tributary  of  the  Mississippi  River,  and  when 
that  "  father  of  waters  "  was  on  a  rampage  outside  of  its  banks, 
backing  up  the  lesser  streams  and  overflowing  a  vast  extent  of  the 
contiguous  country,  the  Bayou  was  navigable  for  small  boats 
which  brought  in  produce  from  Ohio  and  other  Western  States  to 
exchange  for  cotton,  which  was  the  staple  product  of  this  section. 
A  town  site  was  donated  by  Mr.  Gibson,  located  on  the  banks  of 
the  Bayou  about  six  miles  from  the  river.  It  was  regularly  laid 
out  at  right  angles  with  the  Bayou  in  broad  streets,  and  planted 
with  ornamental  shade  trees,  and  rapidly  private  and  public 
tiouses,  churches,  court-house,  and  academies  were  erected,  as  well 


A  Once  Fair  Section.  n 

as  handsome  suburban  residences  by  the  Archers,  Humphreys, 
Magruders,  Vertners,  Van  Dorns,  Parkers,  Bertrons,  Stamps, 
Spencers,  and  many  others, — whose  names  are  familiar  to  the 
older  people  of  that  country, — and  which  were  adorned  with  all 
that  nature  offered,  together  with  all  that  wealth  could  supply  to 
make  ideal  homes  of  hospitality  and  luxury.  Trained  servants  of 
"  African  descent  "  made  the  homes  glisten  with  neatness  and  com- 
fort; and  with  their  own  little  houses  and  gardens,  poultry,  etc., 
seemed  as  happy  as  lords  and  ladies, — toiling  with  the  sun,  and  to 
rude  music  "  dancing  down  the  moon  with  jocund  laughter,"  never 
thinking  or  caring  what  the  cost  of  food,  raiment,  shelter,  or 
doctors'  bills  might  be !  Henry  Hughes,  a  native  author,  in  a 
book  entitled  "  Sociology,"  calls  the  slaves  "  Warrantees  " — being 
warranted  shelter,  food  and  clothing, — and  the  planters  "  war- 
rantors " ;  and  he  considered  Southern  slaves  greatly  improved  in 
condition  when  they  were  brought  from  barbarous  Africa  and 
"  elevated  into  slavery." 

In  honor  of  the  former  owner  of  the  town  site  and  his  gener- 
osity, added  to  the  natural  port  of  entry  afforded  by  the  Bayou 
Pierre,  the  town  was  named  "  Gibson  Port "  or  Port  Gibson. 
This  beautiful  town  became  the  county  seat  of  Claibome  County, 
Mississippi,  was  duly  incorporated,  and  in  later  years  became  the 
historic  battle-ground  of  General  Grant  when  fighting  his  way  to 
besiege  Vicksburg  from  the  south  side,  every  other  point  having 
proved  impracticable.  He  landed  his  troops  (60,000  it  was  said) 
some  twelve  miles  below  Port  Gibson  and  marched  to  within  two 
miles  of  the  town,  where  he  was  met  by  a  body  of  4,500  Southern 
troops,  which,  after  maintaining  their  ground  from  twelve  o'clock 
at  night  (the  moon  shining  brilliantly)  up  to  sunset  the  next  eve- 
ning, and  setting  fire  to  the  iron  suspension  bridges  that  sur- 
rounded the  town,  retreated  in  the  direction  of  Vicksburg.  On 
the  morning  of  the  2d  of  May,  1863,  an  advance  army  of  10,000 ' 
men,  commanded  by  the  much  esteemed  and  generous  foe,  General 
MacPherson,  marched  into  the  town  and  made  their  headquarters 
there  until  pontoon  bridges  could  be  placed  on  the  stream  to  enable 
the  larger  army  to  pursue  the  small  body  of  Southern  troops.  This 
old  peaceful  town  could  tell  many  grim  and  amusing  stories  and 
incidents  connected  with  this  great  invasion  of  60,000  blue  coats, 
so  far  exceding  the  capacity  of  the  village  of  2,500  souls,  to 
entertain  that  number  of  visitors. 


12  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

Port  Gibson  is  also  noted  as  having  been  the  home  or  hiding 
place  ("La  Cache  ")  of  Blennerhasset ;  not  on  the  Mississippi 
River,  as  has  been  stated,  but  six  or  eight  miles  back  of  the  town  in 
the  interior,  surrounded  by  magnificent  tall  oaks  and  forest  trees, 
a  place  once  renowned  for  its  beauty,  comfort  and  hospitality. 
The  people  of  this  Eden-like  village  and  surrounding  country,  in 
the  years  before  the  Civil  War  was  dreamed  of,  enjoyed  the  bless- 
ings of  peace,  prosperity,  culture  and  wealth  in  a  large  degree. 
Here  were  men  of  brilliant  attainments,  lawyers  of  eminence,  ora- 
tors who  made  the  welkin  ring  with  their  eloquence,  good-humor 
and  wit,  together  with  native  authors  and  poets  galore, — young  Ir- 
win  Henry  Russell,  a  charming  poet,  being  a  native  of  that  place ; 
ministers  of  the  pulpits  pointed  out  in  no  uncertain  language  the 
way  of  life, — one  of  whom  was  almost  contemporary  with  the 
founding  of  the  village,  baptizing,  marrying  and  burying  the  peo- 
ple until  just  before  the  Civil  War  commenced,  in  his  dying  mo- 
ments, seeming  to  foresee  the  ruin  that  was  impending  exclaimed, 
"  O,  my  unhappy  country  1  "-—Rev.  Dr.  Zebulon  Butler  will  never 
be  forgotten  by  the  people  of  Port  Gibson.  There  were  women 
there,  too,  who  crowned  the  whole  with  modest  worth  and  beauty, 
and  a  grace  that  eclipsed  the  world.  The  most  perfect  types  of 
beauty  were  to  be  found, — the  Titian  beauty,  the  Grecian,  the 
Spanish,  the  French,  the  pure  delicate  and  refined  American 
beauty.  These  types  centered  here  from  the  four  points  of  the 
compass,  and  while  all  were  fair  many  were  beautiful.  The  men 
were  of  the  same  type  in  manly  form,  and  added  to  their  physical 
features  masculine  strength,  force  of  character,  and  principles 
which  gave  them  marked  individuality,  in  accordance  with  which 
they  shaped  their  lives. 


On  an  eminence  overlooking  the  town  of  Port  Gibson  was 
located  the  home  of  Judge  P.  A.  Van  Dorn,  which  was  known  as 
'  The  Hill."  The  Hill  was  a  rare  old  place.  The  judge  had  built 
the  almost  square  double  brick  mansion  after  a  simple  model 
adapted  to  comfort,  ventilation  and  sunlight;  one  arrangement 
being  unique  in  having  at  the  top  of  each  window  a  space  filled  in 
with  Venetian  slats,  without  glass,  in  order  that  pure  air  could 
not  be  excluded  nor  impure  air  prevented  from  escaping.  There 


A  Once  Fair  Section.  13 

were  two  porches  forming  front  entrances,  and  a  large  covered 
porch  at  the  side  with  colonial  pillars  and  stationary  seats.  Paved 
walks  led  from  the  carriage-way  to  the  porches,  each  walk  lined 
with  rows  of  gay  jonquils  that  in  springtime  looked  like  troops  of 
yellow-plumed  cavalry  drawn  up  for  inspection.  On  the  left  was 
the  garden  with  its  terraces,  grape  arbors,  jasmine,  roses  of  every 
name  flanked  by  flowers  of  every  hue  and  perfume;  and  hidden 
from  view  by  the  horticultural  display  were  the  more  useful  beds 
of  vegetables  and  fruits,  carefully  tended  by  a  German  gardener. 
On  the  same  side  was  the  winding  carriage-way  through  a  grove 
of  stately  poplars,  which  seemded  as  straight  and  dignified  as  the 
old  carriage  driver  "  Beverly,"  as  he  sat  upon  the  seat  like  a  mon- 
arch on  his  throne,  and  was  a  trusted,  faithful  servant  whose 
authority  over  the  carriage  domain  was  never  disputed.  On  the 
ri^lit  of  the  house,  commanding  a  view  of  the  village  from  ihe  side 
porch,  were  two  ridges  or  hills  that  ran  parallel  and  sloped  gradu- 
ally down  to  a  meadow,  forming  midway  a  gentle  declivity,  at 
the  foot  of  which  was  a  spring  and  spring-house,  where  the  water 
flowed  as  cool  as  a  mountain  stream  into  the  dairy,  and  converted 
the  spring-house  into  a  refrigerator  for  the  use  of  the  good  house- 
wife. The  hollow  between  the  hills  was  filled  with  tall  spreading 
trees  that  waved  and  flaunted  their  branches  over  the  eaves  of  the 
mansion,  giving  a  grateful  shade  when  the  sun  was  at  high  noon. 
A  pathway  wound  down  to  the  spring,  where  there  were  rustic 
seats  and  tables,  and  here  often  the  midday  luncheon  or  evening 
meal  was  supplemented  by  the  fruit  of  the  dairy,  and  melons  made 
ice-cold  by  the  water  of  the  spring. 

"  The  old  spring  under  the  hill  is  cool, 

With  blotches  and  rifts  of  sun  ; 
Its  air  is  as  grateful  and  fresh  and  sweet 

As  the  air  of  a  summer  dawn. 
The  song  of  a  bird  in  the  trees  above, 

Below  the  song  of  a  rill, 
Are  the  only  sounds  that  are  heard  around 

The  old  spring  under  the  hill. 

41  How  oft  we  have  trudged  in  other  days, 

When  boys  and  girls  at  our  play, 
To  the  shade  and  stillness  of  that  old  spring, 

Remote  from  the  garish  day  1 
How  oft  by  its  sparkling  waters  clear 

We  have  knelt  and  quaffed  our  fill  1 
And  never  a  draught  was  as  sweet  as  that 

From  the  old  spring  under  the  hill. 


14  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

"  The  years  are  many,  the  years  are  long, 

Between  us  and  that  fair  time  ; 
We  hear  no  more  the  tinkling  song, 

Nor  the  water's  silver  chime  ; 
But  oft  in  the  mirror  of  memory 

We  can  see  the  image  still 
Of  the  winding  pathway,  the  shadows  deep, 

And  the  old  spring  under  the  hill." 

The  old  spring  is  there  still ;  the  old  mansion  stands  a  wreck 
of  its  former  glory ;  some  of  the  live  oaks  planted  by  the  mother 
as  acorns  are  there,  the  fair  skies  that  greet  the  eye  are  as  blue  as 
of  old, — but  all  else  is  changed,  and  decay  has  marked  the  old 
home  for  its  own.  The  terraces,  the  stately  poplars,  the  winding 
driveway,  the  yellow  jonquils,  the  roses, — all  are  gone,  and  the 
fair  forms  that  once  brightened  the  home  now  lie  under  the  sod, 
not  far  from  the  old  homestead,  and  make  it  holy  ground  to  sur- 
viving friends  and  admirers  of  this  once  well-known  family,  which 
was  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  prominent  in  the  history  of  the 
State.  The  home  circle  consisted  of  the  father  and  mother, — 
Judge  and  Mrs.  Van  Dorn, — three  sons  and  six  daughters.  In 
the  order  of  birth  were  Mary,  Jane,  Octavia,  Earl,  Aaron,  Mabella, 
Sarah,  Emily  and  Jacob.  The  two  elder  daughters  married  early, 
Mary  becoming  Mrs.  John  O.  Lacy ;  Jane,  Mrs.  John  D.  Vertner. 
When  the  youngest  child  was  about  a  year  old  the  mother  died 
and  left  Octavia,  then  a  girl  of  fourteen  years  of  age,  in  charge 
of  the  household.  The  sons  were  sent  to  an  academy  near  Balti- 
more to  be  educated ;  in  a  few  years  the  father  died,  and  the  home 
was  entirely  broken  up,  "  some  at  the  altar  and  some  at  the  tomb." 

Can  it  be  possible  that  human  beings  are  born  under  lucky  and 
unlucky  stars ;  that  there  is  a  destiny  that  shapes  our  ends ;  that 
the  influence  of  a  star  will  lend  brilliancy  to  a  life,  permit  it  to 
ascend  to  the  zenith  of  prosperity  and  happiness,  to  go  down  in 
darkness  and  sorrow  forever?  Some  lives  give  color  to  the  truth 
of  these  aphorisms,  and  the  lives  of  many  men  and  women  bear 
testimony  to  the  basis  for  such  a  creed. 

As  the  name  implies,  Judge  Van  Dorn  was  descended  from  a 
Holland  ancestry, — Baron  Van  Doom,  Lord  High  Chancellor  to 
the  King,  being  a  direct  ancestor.  The  family  came  to  America 
early  in  the  seventeenth  century  and  bought  lands  from  the  Indians 
in  Monmouth  and  Somerset  Counties,  New  Jersey,  which  have 
been  continuously  in  possession  of  their  descendants  to  the  present 


A  Once  Fair  Section.  15 

time.  The  Judge's  pious  parents  said  he  was  so  "  no  account  on 
the  farm,  being-  always  off  with  a  book,  that  they  would  send  him 
to  Princeton  College  and  make  a  preacher  of  him."  So  the  Judge 
passed  through  the  classical  and  theological  training,  but  when 
he  had  finished  he  said  he  "  could  preach  but  could  not  pray."  At 
the  age  of  twenty-one  he  removed  to  Mississippi  when  that  part 
of  the  country  was  yet  a  territory,  and  turned  his  attention  to  the 
law;  received  a  life  appointment  as  Judge  of  the  Ophans'  Court 
for  the  southern  district  of  Mississippi,  making  his  home  at  Port 
Gibson.  He  was  a  man  of  unswerving  integrity,  unimpeachable 
veracity,  and  redoubtable  courage,  with  a  quaint  humor  that  made 
him  a  pleasing  acquisiton  to  any  circle.  The  older  people  of  the 
State  never  tire  of  recounting  his  witty  sayings,  anecdotes,  and 
amusing  jests.  He  was  a  Mason  of  high  degree,  and  when  he 
died  in  1837,  the  fraternity  published  his  death  in  these  tender 
words : 

"  On  Sunday  morning  the  iQth  ult.  the  remains  of  Judge  P.  A. 
Van  Dorn  were  brought  to  this  place  and  interred,  with  every 
manifestation  of  respect,  that  the  worth  of  the  deceased  and  the 
public  estimation  for  his  numerous  descendants  could  inspire. 
The  Masonic  fraternity  attended  to  pay  those  last  and  affecting 
attentions  to  a  departed  Brother,  for  which  they  have  ever  been 
most  honorably  distinguished.  It  must  be  consolatory  to  the  rel- 
atives of  Judge  Van  Dorn  to  look  back  on  his  well-spent  life, 
covered  with  the  testimonials  of  the  approbation  and  the  honors  of 
his  fellow  citizens.  This  is  a  legacy  which  his  children  should 
value  above  all  price ;  the  last  service  a  good  man  can  do  is  to 
furnish  an  example,  to  cheer  and  to  stimulate  those  left  behind. 
This  gentleman  was  born  in  New  Jersey  on  the  I2th  of  September, 
1773,  and  descended,  as  his  name  indicates,  from  a  Holland  family. 
After  graduating  at  the  eminent  school  of  Nassau  Hall,  at  Prince- 
ton, N.  J.,  the  deceased  removed  South  and  settled  first  at 
Natchez,  Mississippi,  and  soon  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law. 
His  legal  knowledge  and  exemplary  business  habits  promoted 
him  to  be  Judge  of  the  Probate  Court  in  Claiborne  and  Adams 
County.  He  departed  this  life  on  his  way  to  his  plantation  on  the 
Yazoo  River,  the  I2th  of  February  1837,  in  the  64th  year  of  his 
age.  The  absence  of  the  kind  attentions  which  tender  affection 
can  alone  render  on  a  deathbed  must  no  doubt  have  been  dis- 
tressing"; still  let  us  not  forget  that  the  consolatory  spirit  of  God 


16  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

ly  friendl™*11  ^  ^^^  when  they  ^  m°st  destitute  of  earth- 

Mrs   Van  Dorn  was  a  granddaughter  of  Colonel  John  Donel- 

AnH?        iT1  WasThm^on's  ^aff,  and  a  niece  of  Mrs.  General 

Andrew  Jackson.     In  appearance  she  was  a  fair  brunette  with 

blond  tvn/of  ^€S'  WhllC  JudgC  Van  D°rn  inherited  *e  Saxon 
)lond  type  of  his  ancestors,—  some  of  their  children  resembling 

£?r  »d  hS?  ^  **?  ^^     ^  Was  fair  with  ^t  Z  wn 
hair  and  blue  eyes  and  was  counted  very  pretty;  Jane  was  a  noble 

woman  with  lustrous  brown  hair  and  blue  eyes,  while  Octavia  was 
ike  the  mother  with  dark  hair  and  eyes,     the  first-born   - 
like  the  father,  had  light  flaxen  hair  an'd  bright  st«l-wS™ey1s  : 
and  so  on  the  children  varied  in  style,  feature  and  color     The 

Octavia  selected  a  "new  black  dr<.«  "  M  'k.,7  hl'e.  strang-«'y, 
dressed  in  her  new  white  dress  Oc^vi^-  ^  31d  was 
mourning  all  her  life  the  children  *?  S"rV'Ved  and  wore 
select  their  own  fate  h"S  SeeminS  un«"ttingly  to 


it  as  a  souvenir  of 


Birth,  Education,  Marriage.  17 


CHAPTER  II. 

BIRTH,   EDUCATION,   MARRIAGE. 

IN  the  bright  and  happy  home  of  Judge  Van  Dora,  which  was 
embowered  in  foliage  that  never  changed,  and  where  the  mocking- 
bird sang  its  love  song  to  its  mate,  blended  with  the  minor  notes 
of  the  whippoorwill  "  •om  the  willows  that  dipped  into  the  stream 
near  by,  as  it  rippled  and  gurgled  to  the  sea ;  where  the  roses  ran 
riot  over  the  walls,  and  the  breath  of  a  thousand  flowers  filled  the 
air ;  where  the  harvest  moon  shone  over  a  happy  household,  and 
the  stars  kept  watch  and  marked  the  destiny  of  its  inmates, — in  this 
beautiful  and  supernal  atmosphere  was  born,  on  September  I7th, 
1820,  the  soldier,  Earl  Van  Dorn,  who  was  to  become  the  pride  of 
his  house  and  one  "veil  beloved  by  his  comrades  in  arms.  The 
blood  of  a  noble  Holland  ancestry  and  patriot  fathers  of  the 
American  Revolution  coursed  through  his  veins,  and  he  was  des- 
tined to  become  an  American  warrior  in  more  than  one  of  the 
nation's  battles,  in  Mexico,  and  in  Texas  against  the  savage 
Comanches,  and  in  the  war  between  the  States.  In  his  early  youth 
he  chose  the  profession  of  arms  for  his  life  work,  and  at  the  age 
of  sixteen,  unprompted  and  unaided  by  an  older  head,  addressed 
a  letter  to  ex-President  Jackson,  at  the  Hermitage  in  Tennessee, 
stating  his  desire  to  become  a  military  man ;  and  at  length,  after 
waiting  several  months,  while  sitting  under  a  tree  on  the  play- 
ground near  Baltimore,  feeling  melancholy  and  homesick,  the 
principal  of  the  academy  appeared  holding  up  a  large  official  en- 
velope, with  a  big  red  seal,  and  called,  for  Earl  Van  Dorn.  It 
proved  to  be  a  commission  to  enter  West  Point,  obtained  by  Gen- 
eral Jackson,  and  with  hurried  eagerness  he  packed  his  trunks  and 
was  soon  on  his  way  to  the  Military  Academy.  There  he  remained 
for  the  four  years'  course,  never  during  that  time  visiting  his 
native  place, — being  one  of  the  few  Southern  students  that  could 
endure  the  restraint  and  rigid  training  of  the  school.  How  he 
2 


1 8  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

passed  his  time,  the  following  letter  indicates,  as  well  as  his  per- 
sonal feelings  concerning  his  old  home,  his  duties  at  the  academy, 
and  his  affectionate  disposition.  This  letter  is  addressed  to  his 
widowed  sister  Ootavia,  who  was  then  residing  in  Maryland,  hav- 
ing married  a  native  of  that  State,  Dr.  Vans  M.  Sulivane,  and 
where  the  young  cadet  often  spent  his  vacations. 

"  WEST  POINT,  April  6,  1841. 

"  MY  DEAR  OCTAVIA  : 

"  I  have  made  several  attempts  to  answer  your  kind  letter,  but 
have  not  been  able  to  write  with  such  buoyancy  of  spirits  as  I 
would  like,  or  as  would  give  any  pleasure  to  even  my  sister.  I 
have  felt  it  impossible  after  a  week  of  exercising  and  hard  study, 
together  with  the  hard  drills  of  a  soldier,  to  sit  down  and  write 
with  fresh  spirit  to  any  one,  and  now  at  this  season  of  the  year 
when  such  things  are  more  severe,  I  put  off  from  day  to  day 
hoping  to  find  some  moment  of  revival,  but  have  to  ask  your  for- 
giveness for  the  late  date  of  my  letter,  and  to  offer  an  humble 
apology  for  an  unsoldierlike  procrastination.  Life  is  monoton- 
ous here  and  I  can  only  write  of  my  feelings,  thoughts,  and  love 
for  my  sisters  and  brother.  I  wish  I  were  in  active  service,  that 
I  might  write  of  hairbreadth  escapes  in  the  deadly  breach,  and 
such  things  from  the  fields  of  war.  This  piping  time  of  peace  to 
one  of  my  vocation  is  trying,  and  I  long  with  a  great  longing  for 
something  to  dissipate  a  heavy  cloud  of  melancholy  which  hangs 
over  me.  In  spite  of  the  ?ociety  of  gay  friends  it  will  not  go.  I 
find  a  want  of  congeniality  among  them,  although  they  are  gay 
and  happy — but  there  is  something  wanting.  Perhaps  it  is  their 
very  joyousness,  their  hopes  of  future  happiness  expressed  in  the 
word,  a  happy  home,  good  father,  kind  mother — all  that  make 
them  happy  and  myself  thoughtful  and  sad,  as  they  recall  associ- 
ations and  reminiscences  of  times  when  I,  too,  had  a  home  of  my 
own  as  bright  and  happy.  But  to  dwell  upon  these  things  is  weak 
and  not  worthy  of  a  soldier.  I  am  something  like  the  Black 
Knight,  hard  to  put  in  motion  but  as  hard  to  stop  when  in  motion. 
To-day  I  am  at  my  studies  and  cannot  quit,  for  there  is  a  break 
in  them  I  must  repair.  So  adieu." 

Earl  Van  Dorn  thus  became  a  military  man,  devoting  his  whole 
life  to  the  study  of  military  tactics,  living  in  U.  S.  garrisons  and 


Birth,  Education,  Marriage.  19 

forts,  and  became  cosmopolitan  in  his  citizenship  as  an  officer  •edu- 
cated for  the  army.  Subsequently,  when  his  native  State  had 
need  for  his  services  he  became  an  officer  of  the  Confederate  army. 
The  life  and  incidents  connected  with  public  men  who  have  been 
associated  with  momentous  periods  of  American  history  are  in- 
teresting inheritances  of  the  nation,  and  their  birth,  home-life  and 
education  are  sought  to  lend  color,  as  it  were,  to  their  claim  to 
distinction. 

General  Van  Dorn  graduated  at  West  Point  with  men  who 
became  distinguished,  and  at  a  time  when  great  men  abounded. 
When  he  returned  South  to  visit  his  sisters,  he  appeared  in  the 
uniform  of  a  second  lieutenant  of  the  U.  S.  army,  and  with  his 
graceful  physique,  handsome  regular  features,  fine  blue  eyes  and 
waving  blond  hair,  he  looked  every  inch  a  soldier  of  whom  the 
country  might  well  be  proud. 

He  was  first  assigned  to  duty  at  Fort  Pike  on  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico,  and  from  there  to  Mount  Vernon,  Alabama,  where  at  the 
early  age  of  twenty-three  he  married  the  only  daughter  of  Colonel 
Godbold,  an  esteemed  citizen  of  that  neighborhood.  As  the  only 
child,  the  parents  of  Mrs.  Van  Dorn  were  averse  to  being  separ- 
ated, and  consequently  the  young  Lieutenant  was  often  left  alone 
at  his  barracks.  Mrs,  Van  Dorn,  as  a  bride,  was  a  girlish  looking 
little  woman,  sixteen  years  of  age,  modest  and  shy,  slight  and 
graceful,  and  the  y  >uthful  heart  of  the  soldier  soon  fell  a  victim 
to  her  romantic  charms.  Two  children  were  the  result  of  this 
marriage,  a  boy  and  a  girl.  The  daughter  married  at  an  early 
age,  several  years  after  her  father's  death,  and  died  leaving  four 
children.  The  boy  reached  manhood,  and  died  at  Monroe,  Louisi- 
ana, and  was  buried  there,  the  good  people  of  that  city  giving  him 
every  attention  in  his  illness,  and  strewing  his  grave  with  flowers, 
for  the  sake  of  his  father.  A  paper  announced  his  demise  as 
follows : 

"  Earl  Van  Dorn,  the  only  son  of  General  Earl  Van  Dorn,  died 
in  this  city  yesterday  morning,  April  3Oth,  1884.  Mr.  Van  Dorn 
had  been  for  some  time  employed  as  sub-contractor  on  the  railroad 
west  of  the  river,  and  from  the  exposure  incident  to  his  business 
contracted  pneumonia,  and  neither  the  skill  of  his  physician  nor 
the  kind  attentions  and  nursing  of  devoted  frknds  could  stay  the 
certain  approach  of  death.  Mr.  Van  Dorn's  funeral  took  place 
from  the  Episcopal  church,  where  a  large  number  of  our  citizens 


2O  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

gathered  to  honor  the  remains  of  the  son  of  an  illustrious  father, 
and  the  casket,  decorated  with  the  flowers  of  early  spring,  was 
borne  thence  to  Monroe  Cemetery,  where  the  lives  of  young  and 
old  alike  find  a  close." 

In  1876,  the  young  son  announced,  in  touching  words,  his 
mother's  death : 

"  MOUNT  VERNON,  ALA.,  Feb.  10,  1876. 

"  It  is  sad  to  announce  the  death  of  my  dear  and  beloved  mother. 
She  departed  this  life  the  ipth  of  January. 

"  I  received  your  kind  letter  and  answer  immediately.  I  appre- 
ciate your  effort  to  get  employment  for  me,  and  would  like  to  ac- 
cept, but  I  feel  so  incapable  of  any  kind  of  responsibible  business 
on  account  of  my  inferior  education  that  I  should  be  at  a  loss  what 
to  do.  I  will  leave  Alabama  soon.  I  do  not  feel  that  there  is 
anything  more  on  earth  dear  to  me  since  I  lost  my  dear  mother, — 
you  are  next  to  her,  and  I  look  on  you  as  a  second  mother  to  me. 
I  must  love  one  my  mother  loved  as  she  did  you.  Please  have  my 
mother's  death  announced,  and  will  you  write  her  obituary  ? 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN,  Jr." 


Mexican  War.  21 


CHAPTER  III. 

MEXICAN  WAR. 

SOON  after  the  marriage  of  General  Van  Dorn,  war  was  declared 
between  this  country  and  Mexico,  and  he  left  his  bride  for  the  field 
of  war.  In  the  campaigns  in  Mexico  his  name  was  frequently 
mentioned  for  gallantry  in  action,  and  at  Fort  Brown,  Texas,  he 
performed  a  deed  similar  to  one  which  made  Sergeant  Jasper 
famous  at  Fort  Moultrie,  S.  C,  in  the  War  of  the  Revolution. 
But  such  deeds  of  daring  are  so  common  with  American  soldiers 
that  they  have  ceased  to  be  noticed.  At  Fort  Brown,  while  the 
siege  was  in  progress,  it  was  observed  that  the  U.  S.  flag  had  been 
shot  down  outside  the  fort.  The  fact  was  called  to  the  attention 
of  the  commanding  officer,  Major  Brown,  who  at  once  asked  for 
volunteers  to  go  out  and  hoist  the  defiant  emblem.  Lieutenant 
Van  Dorn  promptly  responded,  and  with  an  assistant  went  outside 
to  raise  the  flag.  Amid  a  storm  of  shot  and  shells,  tearing  up  the 
ground  at  his  feet,  he  triumphantly  raised  the  flag,  flung  it  to  the 
breeze,  and  returned  to  the  fort  unharmed,  amidst  shouts  of  ap- 
plause from  his  comrades. 

At  that  time  he  was  attached  to  the  7th  U.  S.  Infantry,  but  was 
soon  after  appointed  on  the  staff  of  General  Persifer  F.  Smith ; 
and  at  the  storming  of  Chepultepec,  as  General  Smith  was  too  ill 
to  participate  in  the  engagement.  Lieutenant  Van  Dorn  asked  per- 
mission to  join  his  regiment,  did  so,  and  was  among  the  first  to 
scale  the  wall,  and  with  his  sword  to  cut  his  way  into  the  citadel. 
He  was  with  General  Quitman  at  the  battle  of  Monterey,  and  en- 
tered the  city  of  Mexico  with  General  Scott,  receiving  his  only 
wound  at  Belen  Gate. 

As  is  well  known,  Texas  was  originally  a  State  belonging  to  the 
republic  of  Mexico.  It  was  an  empire  in  territory,  but  its  sparse 
population  was  American  and  they  had  received  authority  from 
Mexico  to  colonize  it.  They  soon  set  up  an  independent  territory, 


22  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

and  war  ensued  between  Texas  and  Mexico,  until,  in  1836,  Santa 
Anna  was  captured  and  a  treaty  was  made  with  him.  The  Texaris 
then  offered  annexation  to  the  United  States,  and  in  1845  it  was 
accepted,  and  resulted  in  war  with  Mexico.  This  was  a  political 
war,  and  was  considered  by  many  persons  as  a  most  unholy  war 
on  the  part  of  the  United  States,  "  presenting  an  instance,"  Gen- 
eral Grant  states  in  his  interesting  Person:  1  Memoirs,  "  of  a  re- 
public following  the  bad  example  of  European  monarchies  in  not 
considering  justice  in  their  desire  to  acquire  additional  territory." 
And  in  this  connection  he  adds,  that  "  the  Southern  rebellion  was 
largely  the  outgrowth  of  the  Mexican  war.  Nations  like  indi- 
viduals are  punished  5->r  their  transgressions, — we  were  punished 
in  the  most  sanguinary  and  expensive  war  of  modern  times." 

The  usual  incidents  of  camp  life  attended  this  "  army  of  occu- 
pation "  in  Texas  and  Mexico,  and  deeds  of  daring  were  reported ; 
many  flattering  reports  of  gallantry  reached  Washington,  and  the 
heroes  of  the  Mexican  battles  were  recommended  for  promotion. 
General  Van  Dorn  received  several  brevets.  Among  the  letters 
written  from  the  seat  of  war  are  the  following,  which  may  be  of 
interest  to  those  who  live  to  recall  the  scenes  therein  described. 

"  COMARGO,  MEXICO,  July  20,  1846. 

"  MY  DEAR  OCTAVIA : 

"  I  received  your  kind  letter  a  day  before  I  left  Matamoras,  but 
could  not  answer  on  account  of  the  great  worry  we  were  in.  You 
may  judge  of  this  when  I  had  to  get  a  friend  to  write  to  my  dear 
wife  for  me.  I  thank  my  friends  in  Cambridge  for  their  kind 
messages,  which  will  be  another  spur  to  my  ambition.  I  would  be 
proud  to  hit  the  mark  of  their  hopes  for  my  distinction  and  shall 
assuredly  try  to  do  so. 

"  The  army  is  about  moving  forward  upon  Monterey.  Trie  7th 
Regiment  of  Infantry,  to  which  I  have  the  honor  to  belong,  and  a 
section  of  Lieutenant  Bragg's  Artillery,  arrived  at  this  place  on 
the  1 5th  and  took  possession  of  the  town  without  opposition. 
This  is  but  the  vanguard  of  the  army  and  a  cover  to  the  depot 
established  at  this  place.  Day  before  yesterday  three  companies 
of  the  5th  Infantry  also  arrived ;  the  others  will  soon  follow — in 
fact  the  whole  army  will  soon  be  here,  and  then  on  to  Monterey 
and  Leona  Vicario,  where  glory  awaits  us.  I  long  to  stand  on  the 
heights  of  Sierra  Madre  and  take  a  peep  into  the  rich  valleys  of 


Mexican  War.  23 

Chihuahua,  and  see  the  stars  and  stripes  flying  around  me.  Don't 
you  poor  helpless  female  population  wish  you  were  men  that  you 
might  snatch  a  sword  and  join  in  the  game  for  glory  ?  What  does 
the  gambler  know  of  excitement  who  has  millions  staked  on  a 
card?  He  loses  but  millions,  he  can  win  but  millions.  But  here 
life  is  to  lose — glory  to  win.  Who  can  know  what  the  bosom 
feels,  how  the  heart  swells  with  burning  emotions,  hopes,  proud 
longings  for  distinction.  I  have  always  looked  on  what  is  called  a 
soldier's  glory  with  indifference,  and  imagined  that  I  could  never 
value  it  except  as  a  puff  to  my  vanity.  I  did  not  know  then  the 
fire  that  was  in  my  heart — it  had  never  been  kindled.  The  hot  sigh 
of  death  which  first  passed  by  me  awakened  what  had  always 
slumbered,  and  set  fire  to  my  ambition.  It  rages  now  like  a  house 
on  fire — but  you  do  not  love  excitement — I  had  forgotten  that. 

"  Comargo  was  a  pretty  town  before  the  flood — I  mean  before  a 
recent  one — not  the  big  one.  Most  of  the  houses  have  been  in-' 
jured  by  the  water  which  swept  through  the  streets  and  plaza. 
Many  of  the  people  were  driven  to  the  mountains  for  protection ; 
some  remained  and  crawled  upon  the  housetops,  some  lived  in 
arks  or  rafts,  and  swung  around  with  the  tide,  and  fished.  The 
water  has  now  subsided,  and  the  American  camp  is  in  the  plaza — 
a  pleasant  change  to  the  patriotic  portion  of  Los  Mexicanos.  The 
people  are  very  strange  in  their  customs,  especially  the  ladies. 
They  do  some  things  and  leave  undone  other  things,  which  would 
make  one  of  you  faint,  yet  to  them  it  is  natural — they  are  so  naive. 
The  only  part  of  dress  which  they  are  at  all  particular  about 
is  the  skirt,  but  a  bodice  they  scorn  to  wear.  The  plunge  at  twi- 
light into  the  river  and  bathing  is  their  principal  amusement — al 
fresco.  Comargo  is  on  the  San  Juan,  about  six  miles  from  the 
Rio  Grande,  half  way  from  Matamoras  to  Monterey.  During  the 
bombardment  of  Fort  Brown  I  had  the  honor  to  be  shot  at  several 
times  outside  of  the  fort,  when  I  went  out  to  hoist  the  stars  and 
stripes,  which  were  some  hundred  yards  or  more  off.  I  dodged 
several  bomb-shells  which  threatened  to  fall  on  my  head.  I  skipped 
out  of  the  way  of  a  rolling  howitzer  ball ;  and  stooping  one  day 
accidentally,  a  cannon  ball  passed  over  my  head  which  would  have 
cut  me  in  two ; — musket  balls  flew  around  me  at  one  time  like  a 
thousand  humming-birds — so  I  had  the  sound  of  all  kinds  of 
music.  The  only  wound  I  received  was  a  scratch  on  the  ankle  in 
dodging  a  shell. 


24  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

"  My  facilities  for  writing  are  poor.  I  looked  all  around  for 
a  barrel  top  to  write  on,  but  could  only  borrow  an  old  woman's 
tub  for  an  escritoire.  We  have  been  in  tents  now  eleven  months— 
our  lodgings  on  the  cold,  cold  ground.  How  do  you  think  I  stand 
the  separation  from  my  dear  wife  ?  I  wonder  if  she  can  still  love 
me  when  I  married  her  only  to  leave  her  in  distress  at  my  absence. 
But  she  encourages  me  to  great  deeds,  and  if  Heaven  wills  it,  I 
will  win  a  smile  for  my  return. 

"  YOUR  AFFECTIONATE  BROTHER  EARL." 

"  COMARGO,  AugUSt  20,  1846. 
"  MY  DEAR  OCTAVIA  ! 

"  We  are  off  for  Monterey — the  first  brigade  has  already  taken 
up  the  line  of  march  ;  the  second  crosses  the  San  Juan  to-morrow, 
— the  one  I  am  attached  to.  I  have  the  honor  to  be  aide-de-camp 
to  its  commander,  and  the  satisfaction  of  having  a  horse  to  ride 
instead  of  the  pain  of  walking  so  many  miles.  We  go  through 
Mier  to  Seralvo,  where  we  will  probably  stop  a  while ;  thence  I 
know  not  where.  But  it  is  unmilitary  to  write  about  these  mat- 
ters ;  besides  being  against  Army  Regulations.  It  is  said  we  will 
have  a  big  battle  somewhere  about  Monterey.  Then  is  my  chance 
— that  cooping  up  at  Fort  Brown  was  not  pleasant.  We  will 
remember  it — and  our  battle  cry  shall  be,  '  Remember  Fort 
Brown ! '  I  don't  know  when  I  can  write  again — perhaps  at  Ser- 
alvo, or  on  the  summit  of  the  Sierra  Madre,  or  at  Leona  Vicario. 

"  EARL." 

"  VERA  CRUZ,  April  15,  1847. 
"  DEAR  COLONEL  GODBOLD  : 

"  I  presume  you  have  heard  of  the  fall  of  the  great  Castle  of 
San  Juan  d'Uloa  and  Vera  Cruz.  It  is  true  that  our  victorious 
flag  waves  over  every  battery  in  sight.  It  was  not  as  hard  to  take 
either  as  Monterey.  We  lost  only  forty  or  fifty  in  all,  killed  and 
wounded,  but  the  city  in  some  parts  is  absolutely  demolished  and 
in  ruins  by  our  shells  and  cannon.  We  were  all  spectators  merely 
whilst  our  cannon  did  the  business.  I  knew  it  would  be  bloodless 
or  a  bloody  affair  according  as  we  had  to  storm  it  or  not,  as  there 
were  upwards  of  300  pieces  of  cannon  in  the  defenses,  and  the 
thunders  of  artillery  were  terrific.  At  times  four  or  five  shells 
went  streaming  into  the  city,  and  their  explosion  and  the  tumbling 


Mexican  War.  25 

in  of  walls,  the  shrieks  of  women  and  children,  made  a  pande- 
monium. The  city  looked  like  a  cloud  of  smoke  throwing  out 
flashes  of  lightning  and  roaring  with  thunder.  This  lasted  sev- 
eral days  and  nights.  But  it  is  now  ours.  I  went  in  to  see  the 
ruins  and  found  it  a  splendid  city,  but  now  full  of  rubbish  and  dirt. 
Our  stay  will  be  short,  and  we  will  leave,  as  soon  as  transportation 
can  be  got  ready,  for  '  La  Puerta  Nacional,'  about  thirty  miles 
on  the  road  to  Mexico.  We  may  go  as  far  as  Jalapa,  thirty  miles 
farther,  the  most  healthy  and  delightful  climate  in  the  world.  We 
can  see  the  snow  on  the  top  of  Orizaba,  near  Jalapa.  I  think  we 
will  march  in  about  five  days.  You  will  be  glad  to  know  that  I 
am  now  a  first  lieutenant,  so  some  little  promotion  at  last;  and 
when  I  am  appointed  aide-de-camp  to  General  Smith,  the  duties  of 
which  I  have  been  performing  so  long,  my  pay  will  increase  as 
well.  Of  course  you  have  heard  of  General  Taylor's  big  fight 
at  Buena  Vista.  We  hear  that  some  of  the  volunteers  behaved 
badly,  which  I  was  sorry  to  hear.  We  do  not  expect  much  resist- 
ance until  we  reach  the  city  of  Mexico,  and  that  place  will  be  taken 
pretty  much  as  this  place  was.  We  have  many  large  guns  and 
mortars,  and  life  will  be  more  regarded  in  consequence." 

"  NATIONAL  PALACE,  MEXICO, 
"January  13,  1848. 

"  MY  DEAR  OCTAVIA  : 

"There  is  a  great  deal  of  talk  about  peace,  but  there  is  no 
foundation  upon  which  to  build  a  reasonable  hope,  or  to  raise  up 
despair.  Were  the  Mexicans  wise  or  civilized  we  should  have  had 
peace  long  since ;  as  they  are  not,  who  can  count  upon  their  coun* 
cils  or  their  whims?  Those  in  power  want  peace  to  get  rid  of  our 
army,  which  weakens  them ;  the  intelligent  want  war  to  keep  our 
army  here  to  destroy  theirs  and  to  protect  them,  and  to  give  just 
laws.  The  poor,  God  bless  their  weakness,  do  not  care  a  claco 
about  the  affair,  further  than  that  they  are  taught  to  look  upon  us 
as  their  barbarian  enemies  who  would  cut  their  throats  for  amuse- 
ment. Between  all  this  no  one  can  foretell  the  future,  and  I  would 
not  be  surprised  to  find  our  faces  turned  to-morrow  from  the 
'  dew-dropping  South  '  towards  our  happy  homes,  or  to  be  stand- 
ing in  a  few  v/eeks  on  the  silent  shores  of  the  great  Pacific,  sigh- 
ing across  the  stranger  hemisphere  to  my  wife  and  yourself. 

"  You  ask  me  who  I  think  will  be  our  next  President  ?    I  care 


26  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

so  little  about  it  that  I  never  have  turned  a  thought  to  the  subject. 
I  know  General  Taylor  to  be  honest  now,  but  whose  honesty, 
whose  principles  can  stand  the  test  of  Power — of  high  places  ?  A 
man  who  has  been  sober  all  his  life  will  grow  dizzy,  and  perhaps 
fall  when  he  looks  down  from  a  height  into  chasms  below  him. 
I  do  not  know  and  do  not  care  who  will  be  our  next  President. 

"  I  have  not  known  what  sickness  is  in  this  country.  My  sister 
Jane  wishes  me  to  resign  and  come  home.  I  never  could  be  happy 
out  of  the  army.  I  have  no  other  home — could  make  none  that 
would  be  genial  to  my  feelings.  The  minds  of  civilians  and  ours 
run  in  different  directions.  It  would  be  a  hard  task  at  this  late 
hour  to  make  them  run  together,  or  to  change  one  into  the  other. 
To  make  myself  unhappy  would  be  to  make  you  all  so — my  wife 
and  my  sisters.  I  shall  return  home  when  honor  flings  me  loose 
from  Mexico.  I  am  really  delighted  to  know  so  many  of  our 
loved  ones  remain  in  Port  Gibson.  My  love  to  all. 

"  EARL." 


Texas,  Indian  Fights.  27 


CHAPTER  IV. 

TEXAS,   INDIAN  FIGHTS. 

AFTER  many  bickerings  and  conflicts  between  the  political 
parties  concerning  the  claims  of  General  Scott  and  General 
Taylor,  the  administration  and  Congress,  on  the  basis  of  a 
money  consideration,  peace  was  finally  declared  between  Mexico 
and  the  United  States,  and  Texas  became  an  undisputed  star 
upon  the  banner  of  the  Union.  The  volunteers  returned  to  their 
homes  covered  with  the  laurels  of  conquest,  while  the  regular 
army  repaired  to  their  several  garrisons  and  barracks,  many  of 
them  rejoicing  in  honorable  brevets  won  on  battle-fields.  General 
Taylor,  the  hero  of  this  war,  was  nominated  for  the  presidency 
and  elected,  going  from  the  barracks  at  Baton  Rouge,  Louisiana, 
to  the  White  House. 

Brevet-Major  Earl  Van  Dorn  at  this  period  was  stationed  at 
Baton  Rouge  and  the  appended  letter  expresses  in  a  measure  the 
situation.  The  U.  S.  barracks  at  this  place  are  composed  of  spa- 
cious buildings  forming  a  square,  surrounding  a  court,  and  lying 
in  the  midst  of  handsomely  improved  grounds,  located  on  the 
banks  of  the  Mississippi  and  commanding  fine  views  up  and  down 
the  river.  The  writer  visited  Major  and  Mrs.  Van  Dorn  during 
their  stay  at  these  barracks,  and  reaching  the  station  in  their  ab- 
sence, and  finding  the  doors  of  the  officers'  quarters  opening  on  a 
balcony  common  to  all,  was  guided  to  Major  Van  Dorn's  quarters 
by  objects  familiar  to  his  home  life,  such  as  a  large  vase  decorated 
with  a  bust  of  Napoleon,  books  and  pictures,  and  entered,  feeling 
assured  of  being  in  the  right  place  and  of  a  hearty  welcome. 
These  letters  were  written  from  this  point. 

"  BATON  ROUGE,  LA.,  November  12,  1848. 
"  MY  DEAR  SISTER  EMILY: 

"  In  my  letter  of  a  few  days  ago  I  told  you  that  I  was  on  my 
way  to  join  my  regiment  at  Jefferson  barracks  near  St.  Louis,  and 
that  I  should  call  by  and  see  you  all  on  my  way  up  the  river.  I, 


28  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

however,  reported  here  to  General  Taylor  for  orders,  and  he  Has 
assigned  me  to  duty  with  a  company  of  my  regiment  now  sta- 
tioned here  until  I  can  hear  the  result  of  an  application  for  trans- 
fer to  the  company.  So  you  will  perceive  that  if  I  am  lucky  I 
shall  be  stationed  very  comfortably  and  near  home,  and  that  you 
can  without  any  difficulty  move  down  whenever  you  can  detach 
yourself  from  Octavia  and  have  as  pleasant  a  place  to  live  in,  al- 
most, as  Port  Gibson.  I  have  not  heard  whether  or  not  Octavia 
has  reached  home ;  if  she  has  you  will  not  wish  to  leave  her  before 
about  the  28th  instant.  I  regret  very  much  that  we  cannot  visit 
her  as  we  had  anticipated. 

"  We  have  now  been  here  almost  a  week  and  are  pretty  well 
established  in  garrison,  which  is  a  very  pleasant  one.  There  are 
several  very  agreeable  families  near  us  and  everything  promises 
well.  Miss  Betty  Taylor  was  the  first  lady  who  called  on  Carrie, 
and  we  have  had,  of  course,  the  honor  and  the  pleasure  of  paying 
our  respects  to  the  General  and  his  wife.  They  are  both  plain, 
unassuming  and  agreeable  old  folks,  beloved  by  all  who  know 
them  personally.  It  is  said  here  that  the  General  is  elected  and 
destined  for  the  White  House.  I  am  rejoiced  of  course. 

"  We  enjoy  ourselves  in  garrison  as  much  as  possible  for  those 
who  have  participated  in  such  soul-stirring  scenes  as  we  have, 
but  find  it  rather  hard  to  become  settled  and  satisfied  with  calmer 
pursuits.  However,  time  changes  all  things,  even  the  sterner 
longings  of  men.  Carrie  and  myself  now  sit  down  to  our  meals 
opposite  each  other  alone,  and  present  a  perfect  picture  of  domestic 
felicity — all  by  ourselves,  and  we  have  nobody  to  strike  our  elbows 
when  carving  our  ducks  or  pouring  out  our  tea  and  coffee.  I 
wish  you  and  little  Earl  and  Marshall  were  here  to  fill  up  the 
vacant  seats  and  let  us  hear  some  noise, — everything  is  so  silent.  I 
feel  too  much  the  passing  wing  of  time — almost  hear  it.  Carrie 
will  enjoy  your  company  and  I  can  have  then  more  freedom  in 
going  out ;  I  do  not  leave  her  now  lest  she  should  be  too  lonely. 
I  have  some  music  for  you  ^nd  some  pictures  brought  from 
Mexico.  I  will  not  trust  them  to  the  mail  or  packets  for  fear 
they  will  be  lost.  Carrie  joins  me  in  love  to  Octavia  and  all  at 
Burlington." 

"  MY  DEAR  OCTAVIA  : 

"  Will  we  see  you  South  this  winter,  and  can  we  not  have  a 


Texas,  Indian  Fights.  29 

family  Christmas  dinner  at  Burlington,*  Aunt  Nancy  at  the  head 
of  the  table,  Miss  O.  Van  Dorn  on  the  right?  (I  think  she 
will  be  as  pretty  as  you  were  when  you  bore  that  name,  with  more 
temper  though,  and  assurance.)  It  would  be  a  melancholy  pleas- 
ure to  meet  once  more  and  call  the  roll.  Alas,  how  many  absen- 
tees !  Aunt  Nancy  is  with  them  at  Burlington,  and  they  seem 
cheerful  under  the  circumstances.  We  bend  but  never  break. 
We  are  like  those  tall  Lombardy  poplars  on  '  The  Hill,'  whose 
leaves  were  constantly  quivering  in  the  slightest  breeze,  and  whose 
high  tops  were  constantly  bending  low  to  the  ruder  winds,  but 
whose  heart  was  never  injured,  however  strong  the  storms  might 
visit  them. 

"  Will  you  not  write  to  Uncle  William  Van  Dorn  at  Peapack, 
New  Jersey,  and  get  him  to  give  or  lend  us  our  father's  portrait? 
I  think  I  could  copy  it.  Give  my  love  to  all  who  were  so  kind 
to  me  at  Cambridge,  and  kiss  pretty  little  Octavia  for  me.  I  was 
very  proud  of  her  in  Cincinnati,  and  hope  the  promise  of  her 
young  days  will  be  realized,  both  for  her  beauty,  modesty,  lady- 
like bearing,  and  accomplishments.  She  must  be  my  Olivia's 
model,  and  so  I  hope  to  see  her  '  une  femme  comme  il  y  en  a  peu, 
et  fait  a  pcindre.' ' 

The  military  record  of  Earl  Van  Dorn  at  the  close  of  the  war 
with  Mexico  was  kindly  furnished  by  the  U.  S.  War  Department, 
as  follows : 

"  Graduated  from  the  Military  Academy  and  appointed  Brevet 
2d  Lieutenant,  7th  Infantry,  July  I,  1842;  2d  Lieutenant,  7th 
Infantry,  Nov.  30,  1844;  ist  Lieutenant,  7th  Infantry,  March  3, 
1847  5  Service  in  regiment  at  Port  Pike,  La.,  September  28,  1842, 
to  Dec.,  1842 ;  Fort  Morgan,  Ala.,  to  July  6,  1843  ;  Mount  Vernon 
Arsenal,  Ala.,  July  8  to  Nov.  15,  1843;  Fort  Morgan,  Ala.,  Nov. 
16  to  Dec.  13,  1843 ;  Mount  Vernon  Arsenal,  Ala.,  to  December, 
1844;  Camp  Barrancas,  Fla.,  Dec.  29,  1844,  to  April  4,  1845; 
on  leave  to  June  4,  1845  '•>  with  regimnt  at  Fort  Pickens,  Fla.,  to 
Aug.  24,  1845  ;  in  Texas,  Aug.  30,  1845,  to  July,  1846  (engaged  in 
defense  of  Fort  Brown,  May  3—9,  1846)  ;  Mexico,  to  July  9,  1848 
(Adjutant  2d  Brigade,  2d  Division  Army  of  Occupation,  Aug.  to 
Nov.,  1846,  and  on  staff  of  General  Persifer  Smith  to  Nov.,  1848)  ; 

*  The  beautiful  surburban  residence  of  Mrs.  Vertner. 


3o  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

engaged  in  battle  of  Monterey,  Sept.  21  to  23,  1846;  Siege  of 
Vera  Cruz,  March  9  to  29,  1847;  battle  of  Cerro  Gordo,  April 
17,  1847, — battle  of  Contreras,  Aug.  I9.--2O,  1847;  battle  of 
Cherubusco,  Aug.  20,  1847;  Storming  of  Chepultepec,  Sept.  13, 
1847;  Assault  and  capture  of  the  City  of  Mexico,  Sept.  13-14, 
1847,  where  he  was  severely  wounded  on  entering  the  Belen  Gate, 
Sept.  13,  1847;  witn  regiment  at  Baton  Rogue,  La.,  Nov.  6,  1848, 
to  May,  1849;  Jefferson  Barracks,  Mo.,  to  Aug.  31,  1849;  in  Fla. 
Sept.,  1849,  to  June,  1850;  on  recruiting  service  to  Nov.,  1851; 
at  New  Orleans,  La.,  as  Secretary  of  Military  Asylum,  Nov.  6, 
1851  to,  May,  1855.* 

"  On  recruiting  service  May  to  July  1855 ;  with  his  regiment 
at  Jefferson  Barracks,  July  22,  1855,  to  October  27,  1855  ;  in  Texas 
at  Camps  Cooper  and  Colorado  and  Fort  Chadbourne  to  Aug.  15, 
1858  (engaged  with  Comanche  Indians  July  I,  1859)  ;  on  Scout  to 
Nov.,  1859  (engaged  in  action  Oct.  i,  1858,  with  Indians  near 
Washita  Village,  where  he  was  severely  wounded)  ;  at  Camp  Rad- 
miniski,  Ind.Ter.,  Nov.  14,  1858,  to  June  12,  1859  (engaged  in 
action  with  Comache  Indians  May  13,  1859)  ;  at  Camps  Cooper 
and  Colorado  to  Sept.,  1859;  Fort  Macon,  Texas,  to  Nov.  I,  1859; 
on  leave  to  March  I,  1860;  with  regiment  at  Fort  Mason  to  De- 
cember 25,  1860;  on  leave  to  January  3,  1861,  when  he  re- 
signed." 

"  Official  Commendation :  The  officers  of  brigade  and  regi- 
mental staff  were  conspicuous  in  the  field.  Of  those  in  their  par- 
ticular departments,  Lieutenant  Van  Dorn  (and  others),  aide-de- 
camp 7th  Infantry,  etc.,  are  highly  commended  by  their  respective 
chiefs,  to  the  justness  of  which  I  have  the  pleasure  to  add  my 
personal  observation."  (Report  of  Bvt.  Brig.-Gen.  W.  J.  Worth, 
Battle  of  Monterey.) 

"  The  events  of  Fort  Brown,  Monterey,  Vera  Cruz  and  Cerro 
Gordo  had  already  afforded  to  my  aide-de-camp,  Lieut.  Earl  Van 
Dorn  opportunities  of  calling  forth  the  commendations  of  his  com- 
manding officers.  He  has  not  let  pass  the  present  one;  but 
though  his  gallantry  was  again  shown  in  a  personal  conflict  with 
the  enemy  it  is  far  from  being  the  highest  quality  of  a  soldier  thai 

*  At  this  point  he  was  pleasantly  domiciled  with  his  wife  and  one  child,  when 
the  dreaded  "  yellow  fever  "  became  epidemic,  and  after  taking  his  family  to 
a  place  of  safety  in  Alabama,  returned  to  nurse  the  sick,  and  thereby  proved  him- 
self as  humane  and  fearless  in  a  panic  of  disease_as  he  was  heroic  in  war. 


Texas,  Indian  Fights.  31 

he  possesses."  (Report  of  Bvt.  Brig.-Genl.  P.  F.  Smith  of  Bat- 
tles of  Contreras  and  Cherubusco.) 

"  In  adding  to  the  list  of  individuals  of  conspicuous  merit  I. 
must  limit  myself  to  a  few  of  the  many  names  which  might  be 
enumerated  Lieut.  Van  Dorn  (7th  Infantry),  aide-de  camp  to 
Brig.-Genl.  Smith."  Report  to  Gen.  Winfield  Scott  of  General 
Quitman  of  Capture  of  City  of  Mexico. 

"  I  take  great  pleasure  by  extending  my  cordial  concurrence  in 
the  high  commendation  bestowed  in  the  official  reports  of  their  re- 
spective chiefs  upon  the  good  conduct  of  and  Lieutenant  Earl 
Van  Dora,  aid  to  General  Smith."  (Report  of  Major-General 
Quitman  of  Capture  of  City  of  Mexico.' 

From  this  officic.1  record  it  will  be  seen  that  this  officer  devoted 
the  greatest  part  of  his  life  to  the  service  of  the  country,  answer- 
ing every  call  to  arms,  and  never  failing  to  respond,  however  great 
the  difficulty  or  danger,  nor  shrank  from  any  duty  imposed  upon 
him,  from  the  time  he  graduated  from  the  Academy  in  1842  to  the 
time  of  his  resignation  in  1861. 

After  the  close  f  the  war  with  Mexico  Major  Van  Dorn  visited 
his  native  place  and  received  cordial  congratulations  and  encomi- 
ums from  all  sides.  The  legislature  of  the  State,  citizens  of  Port 
Gibson,  and  Claibome  County,  presented  him  with  costly  swords 
in  honor  of  his  achievements  in  Mexico.  Years  after,  in  a  public 
parade  at  Cincinnati  with  General  Scott  by  his  side,  he  wore  one  of 
these  swords,  and  it  was  so  much  handsomer  than  the  one  General 
Scott  wore  which  had  been  presented  by  the  State  of  New  York, 
that  the  young  officer  felt  no  small  degree  of  pride  and  gratitude 
for  the  honor  his  own  people  had  conferred  upon  him.  In  a 
subsequent  visit  to  Port  Gibson  the  citizens  presented  him  with  a 
handsome  silver  service  in  recognition  of  his  gallantry  in  Texas 
against  the  Indians.  During  the  Civil  War  Mrs.  Van  Dorn  man- 
aged to  save  this  gift  of  silver,  but  the  swords  were  captured  or 
abstracted  from  her  home  by  Union  soldiers  encamped  on  her 
mother's  place  in  Alabama,  and  the  correspondence  that  in  after 
years  took  place  is  given  in  the  Appendix.  After  the  war  the 
swords  were  offered  for  sale  by  their  captors,  first  to  the  State, 
and  then  to  members  of  General  Van  Dorn's  family.  The  Gov- 
ernor waited  on  a  member  of  the  family  and  asked  if  he  should 
recommend  their  purchase,  but  the  answer  was  that  the  State  was 
too  poor  to  buy  them  again,  and  the  family  could  not  see  the  jus- 


32  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

tice  of  having  to  purchase  articles  from  a  party  to  whom  they  did 
not  belong.  Mrs.  Van  Dorn  was  a  widow  at  the  time  the  swords 
were  taken. 

Still  another  sword  was  presented  to  General  Van  Dorn  during 
the  Civil  War  by  the  State  of  Mississippi,  for  his  "  noble  defense 
of  Vicksburg."  Ihis  sword  was  also  captured  at  Jackson  by  a 
Union  soldier,  who  left  the  scabbard,  which  now  lies  in  that  city 
awaiting  the  return  of  the  sword  to  its  proper  owner, — the  State, 
if  it  so  pleases.  Th*  present  holder  of  the  sword  resides  in  a 
village  of  Illinois,  and  offers  one  of  them  for  sale  for  the  consider- 
ation of  $250.  The  correspondence  speaks  for  itself.  (See  Ap- 
pendix.) 

The  following  account  of  the  formation  of  two  cavalry  regi- 
ments organized  and  equipped  for  the  defense  of  Texas  against 
the  attacks  and  depredations  of  the  savage  Comache  and  Apache 
Indians,  is  reproduced  from  the  Magazine  of  History,  New  York, 
and  gives  somewhat  in  detail  the  services  of  those  regiments  and 
their  brave  officers,  in  which  engagements  with  the  Indians  Ma- 
jor Van  Dorn's  services  are  conspicuous. 

CAVALRY  FIGHTS   WITH    THE   COMANCHES.* 

Soon  after  the  war  with  Mexico  the  United  States  territory  be- 
came so  extended  and  the  hostile  Indians  on  the  frontier  of  Texas 
so  dangerous  and  troublesome  that  an  increased  military  force  was 
deemed  necessary  for  the  protection  of  the  border  States,  and  Con- 
gress adopted  measures  for  raising  and  equipping  two  regiments 
of  mounted  men,  called  the  First  and  Second  Cavalry.  In  form- 
ing these  regiments  great  care  was  used  in  selecting  only  such 
officers  as  had  "  won  their  spurs  "  in  the  recent  war  with  Mexico ; 
and  no  more  chivalric  names  adorn  the  annals  of  history  than  this 
arm  of  the  military  service — names  which  have  become  as  familiar 
as  the  strains  of  "  Home,  Sweet  Home,"  and  at  the-  mention  of 
which  the  heart  of  the  nation  must  thrill  with  pride  while  the 
nation  endures;  and  though  in  after  years  some  of  them  pass  in 
review  as  having  worn  the  "  Gray  "  instead  of  the  "  Blue,"  they 
remain  no  less  American  in  their  heritage  and  valor,  and  may  still 
be  claimed  as  our  own  military  chieftains. 

*  By  this  writer. 


Texas,  Indian  Fights.  33 

In  the  formation  of  the  First  Cavalry  were  enrolled  the  names 
of  Col.  E.  V.  Sumner,  Jos.  E.  Johnston,  Ben  McCullough,  Geo. 
B.  McClellan,  Ransom,  Walker,  J.  E.  B.  Stuart,  Mclntyre,  Crit- 
tenden,  Lomax,  Church,  and  others.  In  the  Second  Cavalry  were 
Albert  Sidney  Johnston,  Robert  E.  Lee,  Geo.  H.  Thomas,  Wm. 
J.  Hardee,  Earl  Van  Dorn,  E.  Kirby  Smith,  Theo.  O'Hara  (the 
poet),  John  B.  Hood,  Fitzhugh  Lee,  Lieuts.  Kimmel,  Van  Camp, 
Evans  and  others.  After  these  regiments  were  formed  they  were 
stationed  in  Texas,  the  theater  of  the  principal  Indian  depreda- 
tions, and  their  dashing  officers,  who  had  made  themselves  conspic- 
uous for  gallantry  on  numerous  battle-fields  in  Mexico,  were  fre- 
quently engaged  in  hand-to-hand  fights  with  the  savage  Comanches 
on  the  borders  of  Texas,  and  their  trophies  of  battle  bore  testimony 
to  the  cruel  and  deadly  foes  they  had  to  meet  and  fight  to  the  death 
rather  than  be  captured  and  tortured.  Scalps  of  men,  women  and 
children  hung  from  belts  of  the  savages,  gaudy  trappings  of  bright 
feathers  woven  into  fantastic  designs  with  shells  and  beads ;  their 
skin  and  that  of  their  horses  stained  with  gay  colors,  giving  them 
an  unearthly  appearance.  In  time  of  battle  their  rude  weapons 
were  brandished  with  demoniacal  glee  and  ferocity,  and  excited 
the  gravest  horror. 

Among  the  engagements  that  occurred  in  1856  was  the  battle 
of  "  The  Four  Lakes,"  which  was  one  of  necessarily  cruel  slaugh- 
ter. It  was  in  this  conflict  that  the  Comanches  were  first  intro- 
duced to  the  Minie  ball  and  the  long-range  rifle.  The  roar  of 
artillery  and  the  flashing  of  sabers  were  only  equaled  by  the  sav- 
age antics  and  war-whoops  which  served  to  render  the  fight  weird 
and  furious, — our  heroes  resolving  to  perish  rather  than  be  cap- 
tured. The  Comanches  advanced  with  so  much  celerity  and  ir- 
regularity that  it  was  difficult  to  reach  them,  and  each  Indian 
seemed  to  fight  on  his  own  account ;  but  the  organized  firing  of 
disciplined  troops  even  heue  tested  the  art  of  trained  warfare,  and 
without  much  loss  they  finally  put  the  enemy  to  flight. 

In  the  same  year  an  important  engagement  was  led  by  Lieu- 
tenant Jno.  B.  Hood,  with  a  command  of  twenty-five  men  from  the 
Second  Cavalry.  The  general  orders  were  to  attack  any  hostile 
Indians  away  from  their  reservations.  Lieutenant  Hood  had  dis- 
covered a  trail,  but,  being  weary  and  thirsty,  and  his  horses  jaded 
from  a  long  march,  he  went  towards  a  river  for  water.  Not  far  off 
he  saw  a  few  horses  grazing  and  a  flag  waving  over  some  brush. 
3 


34  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

This  proved  a  decoy.  As  he  advanced  within  a  few  paces  the  flag 
suddenly  dropped  and  a  large  body  of  Comanches  setting  fire  to  the 
brush,  rushed  from  their  ambush,  some  armed  with  Spanish  bay- 
onets, some  with  rifles  and  lances  and  many  with  bows  and  arrows, 
and  raising  a  wild,  desperate  war-whoop,  attacked  the  surprised 
party  of  cavalry.  Hood's  men  fired  volley  after  volley  until  their 
shots  were  expended ;  then  they  fell  back,  leaving  six  of  their  com- 
rades on  the  field,  and  Lieutenant  Hood  himself  was  borne  away 
badly  wounded.  The  plains  and  ravines  to  which  they  retreated 
seemed  literally  alive  with  savages,  and  that  any  of  this  brave 
command  escaped  death  was  a  miracle.  From  the  heights  near  by 
they  witnessed  the  horrors  of  the  Indian  war  dance  around  the 
slain,  and  their  hearts  were  filled  with  a  desire  for  quick  revenge. 
On  this  occasion  messengers  were  sent  to  headquarters,  and  soon 
reinforcedments  were  at  hand,  when  a  few  discharges  from  a  how- 
itzer forced  the  Indians  from  their  cover  to  the  plain,  where  they 
were  compelled  to  cope  with  batteries  supported  by  dismounted 
men  and  cavalry.  Companies  moved  against  them  with  the  cool- 
ness and  precision  of  a  parade ;  chief  after  chief  of  the  enemy  fell 
in  rapid  succession,  and  their  gay  trappings  and  plumage  were 
draggling  in  the  gory  dust.  Many  Indian  women  were  observed 
swiftly  dragging  their  dead  and  wounded  from  the  battle-field; 
and  it  was  a  relief  to  see  them  finally  give  way  and  fall  back  in 
confusion  and  alarm  before  their  conquorers,  whom  they  out- 
numbered ten  to  one.  During  this  fight,  or  rather  flight,  Major 
Earl  Van  Dorn  with  a  few  men  rode  in  pursuit  of  a  party  of  flee- 
ing Comanches,  who  were  mounted  on  fleet  mustangs  and  riding 
in  some  instances  two  on  one  horse.  Major  Van  Dorn's  horse 
was  a  spirited  gray,  which  stopped  at  neither  branch  nor  marsh, 
but  cleared  every  obstacle,  and  plunging  ahead  placed  his  rider, 
who  was  a  superior  horseman,  far  in  advance  of  his  followers ;  and 
when  the  Indians  in  the  rear  of  the  retreating  party  were  within 
range  of  his  fire,  he  killed  the  horse  the  two  Indians  were  riding. 
Finding  themselves  on  the  ground  and  hotly  pursued,  they  quickly 
fell  to  their  knees  and  took  deliberate  aim  at  the  heart  of  their 
pursuer.  He  held  the  bridle  reins  in  the  left  hand  directly  over 
his  heart,  and  felt  one  arrow  penetrate  the  two  bones  of  the 
wrist,  another  arrow  glance  upward,  entering  the  right  side  and 
passing  out  at  the  left,  seriously  injuring  the  lung.  These  arrows 
he  drew  from  the  wounds  himself,  the  blood  flowing  in  torrents. 


Texas,  Indian  Fights.  35 

At  this  juncture  the  sergeant  of  his  company  came  to  his  rescue 
and  threw  his  own  body  and  that  of  his  horse  between  the  Major 
and  the  flying-  arrows.  This  act  of  self-sacrifice  and  heroism  on 
the  part  of  the  sergeant  was  recognized  by  the  Government  by 
pensioning  him  for  life. 

Major  Van  Dorn  was  regarded  as  the  most  successful  and  dar- 
ing Indian  fighter  of  the  time,  and  his  campaigns  secured  for 
Texas  a  quiet  period  against  the  depredations  of  these  tribes,  but 
his  name  was  one  of  terror  and  hatred  to  the  Indians. 

In  1858  hostilities  were  renewed  and  many  murders  were  com- 
mitted. Again  Major  Van  Dorn  was  ordered  by  General  Twiggs 
to  equip  four  companies  and  go  out  on  a  scouting  expedition  and 
penetrate  the  heart  of  the  Indian  country.  This  he  did,  and  after 
reaching  the  interior  proceeded  to  build  a  stockade  and  place 
within  it  all  the  pack  mules,  extra  horses  and  stores,  and  then  left 
them  in  charge  of  the  infantry.  Friendly  Indians  soon  discovered 
that  a  large  Comanche  camp  was  located  near  the  village  of 
Wichita,  90  miles  away.  The  four  companies,  attended  by  guides, 
started  for  the  camp,  and  the  march  of  90  miles  was  made  in  36 
hours,  causing  the  men  to  be  continuously  in  the  saddle  the  latter 
sixteen  hours  of  the  ride.  At  daylight  on  the  morning  of  October 
i,  1858,  they  reached  the  village.  The  four  companies  were 
formed  into  four  columns  to  enter  the  village,  with  orders  to  de- 
ploy and  charge  when  in  sight  of  the  camp.  The  charge  was 
sounded  on  the  left  and  a  sudden  and  deadly  swoop  was  made  on 
the  unsuspecting  enemy.  The  Indians  rose  up  with  a  wild  war 
whoop  and  made  an  obstinate  defense ;  there  were  many  hand-to- 
hand  fights,  but  the  battle  resulted  in  a  decisive  victory  to  the 
cavalry.  Eighty  or  ninety  warriors  were  slain  and  many  were 
captured.  General  Scott  reported  to  the  War  Department  these 
victories  in  the  following  words : 

"  HEADQUARTERS  OF  THE  ARMY, 

"  ADJUTANT  GENERAL'S  OFFICE, 

"  WASHINGTON,  D.  C. 

"  Near  the  Wichita  village,  Brevet  Major  Van  Dorn,  Capt.  2d 
Cavalry,  commanding  A,  F,  H  and  K  companies  of  his  regi- 
ment, after  a  forced  march  of  ninety  miles  in  thirty-six  hours, 
came,  a  little  after  daylight,  upon  the  camp  of  the  hostile  Co- 


36  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

manches,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  lodges,  and  be- 
tween four  and  five  hundred  Indians.  He  immediately  charged 
upon  it,  and  after  a  most  desperate  struggle  of  an  hour  and  a  half, 
during  which  there  were  many  bloody  hand-to-hand  encounters, 
achieved  a  most  decisive  and  important  victory. 

"  Fifty-six  Indians  were  left  dead  on  the  field ;  one  hundred 
and  twenty  lodges  were  burned ;  over  three  hundred  animals 
taken ;  a  large  quantity  of  supplies  appropriated  or  destroyed ; 
and  the  surviving  Indians  dispersed  among  the  mountains  in  a 
destitute  condition. 

"  With  this  victory  it  is  painful  to  record  the  death  of  2d 
Lieut.  Cornelius  Van  Camp,  2d  Cavalry,  an  active  young  officer 
of  exceeding  promise,  once  before  named  in  this  order  for  gal- 
lantry, who  was  shot  through  the  heart  with  an  arrow,  while 
charging  the  enemy. 

"  Sergeant  J.  E.  Garrison,  of  company  F ;  Privates  Peter 
Magar  and  Jacob  Echard,  of  company  H,  were  also  killed.  Pri- 
vate Henry  Howard  of  that  company,  missing,  supposed  to  have 
been  killed. 

"  The  following  were  wounded :  Company  A,  Brevet  Major 
Van  Dorn,  severely,  four  wounds. 


"  During  the  combat  Capt.  N.  G.  Evans,  Second  Lieuts.  Har- 
rison and  Phifer,  each  killed  two,  and  Lieut.  Major  killed  three 
Indians  in  hand-to-hand  encounters. 

"  The  other  officers  who  were  under  Major  Van  Dorn  are  Cap- 
tains Whitney  and  Johnson,  Second  Lieut.  Porter  and  Acting 
Assistant  Surgeon  Carswell,  all  of  whom,  together  with  the  non- 
commissioned officers  and  privates  of  companies  A,  F,  H  and  K, 
2d  Cavalry,  are  entitled  to  great  commendation  for  their  gal- 
lantry. 

"  By  command  of  Brevet  Lieut-General  Scott, 

"  L.  THOMAS, 

"  Asst.  Ad jt. -General. 
"  ED.  D.  RUGGLES, 

"  Asst.  ' Ad  jt. -General"- 


Texas,  Indian  Fights.  37 

REPORT  OF  GEN.   TWIGGS. 

"  HEADQUARTERS,  DEPARTMENT  OF  TEXAS, 

"  SAN  ANTONIO,  October  19,  1858. 
"Orders  No.  25. 

"  The  General  commanding  takes  great  pride  in  publishing  to 
the  Department  the  signal  success  of  the  command  under  Brevet 
Major  Earl  Van  Dorn,  Captain  2d  Cavalry,  over  the  Comanche 
Indians,  at  their  camp  near  Wichita  Village,  on  the  ist  instant. 

"  Major  Van  Dorn,  with  his  command,  left  Fort  Belknap  on  the 
1 5th  ultimo,  and  marched  in  a  northwest  direction  to  the  point 
designated  in  Special  Orders  No.  71,  current  series,  where  he 
established  his  depot,  and  threw  up  a  field  work  for  its  protection : 
he  had  scarcely  completed  this  work  when,  on  the  2Qth  ultimo, 
learning  from  his  Indian  spies  that  the  Comanches  were  in  force 
at  a  point  about  90  miles  due  east  from  his  position,  he  at  once 
proceeded  to  secure  his  property  and  stores,  and  left  with  four 
companies  of  cavalry  and  a  hundred  and  twenty-five  friendly 
Indians  in  search  of  the  enemy.  After  a  forced  march  of  over 
90  miles,  which  was  accomplished  in  thirty-six  and  a  half  hours, 
he  came  upon  the  enemy's  camp,  consisting  of  120  lodges  and 
between  400  and  500  Indians,  a  little  after  daylight  on  the  ist 
instant,  charged  it,  and,  after  a  most  deperate  struggle  of  an  hour 
and  a  half,  during  which  there  were  many  bloody  hand-to-hand 
engagements,  achieved  a  victory  more  decisive  and  complete  than 
any  recorded  in  the  history  of  our  Indian  warfare.  Fifty-six 
Indian  warriors  were  left  dead  on  the  field,  one  hundred  and 
twenty  lodges  were  burned,  over  three  hundred  animals  taken, 
and  a  large  quantity  of  supplies  either  appropriated  to  the  use 
of  the  command  or  destroyed ;  the  surviving  Indians  were  dis- 
persed among  the  mountains  in  a  destitute  condition. 

"  The  General  commanding  the  Department  hoped  much  from 
this  command,  and  he  is  most  happy  to  say  that  the  brilliancy 
of  its  success  has  been  such  as  to  exceed  his  most  sanguine  ex- 
pectations. 

"  He  deeply  sympathizes  with  the  officers  under  his  command  in 
the  death  of  2d  Lieutenant  Cornelius  Van  Camp,  2cl  Cavalry,  a 
young  officer  of  exceeding  promise,  who  fell,  pierced  to  the  heart 
by  an  arrow,  while  gallantly  charging  the  enemy  in  this  engage- 
ment. 


38  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

"He  is  pained  to  state,  too,  that  Sergeant  J.  E.  Garrison,  of 
company  '  F/  2d  Cavalry,  who  was  mortally  wounded,  has  since 
died,  and  that  Privates  Peter  Magan  and  Jacob  Echard  of  com- 
pany '  H,'  2d  Cavalry,  were  killed,  and  Private  Henry  Howard, 
of  same  company,  is  missing  and  supposed  to  have  been 
killed. 

"  Brevet  Major  Earl  Van  Dorn,  2d  Cavalry,  was  severely 
wounded,  and  one  of  his  company,  '  A,'  Corporal  Joseph  P. 
Taylor,  was  dangerously  so.  Privates  C.  C.  Alexander,  of  com- 
pany '  H,'  and  C.  C.  Emery  and  A.  J.  McNamara,  of  company 
'  F,'  2d  Cavalry,  were  severely  wounded ;  whilst  Sergeant  C. 
B.  McClellan,  Corporal  Bishop  Gordon  and  Bugler  M.  Abergast, 
of  company  '  H,'  Privates  W.  Frank,  of  company  '  F,'  and 
Smith  Hinckley,  of  company  '  K,'  2d  Cavalry,  were  slightly 
wounded. 

"  The  sutler,  Mr.  J.  F.  Ward,  who  was  slightly  wounded,  and 
the  special  agent  in  charge  of  the  friendly  Indians,  Mr.  S.  Ross, 
who  was  severely  wounded,  and  both  of  whom  were  voluntarily 
with  the  expedition,  are  deserving  the  highest  praise  for  their 
gallantry  during  the  action. 

"  During  the  fight  Captain  N.  G.  Evans,  Lieutenant  Harrison 
and  Phifer,  each  killed  two,  and  Lieutenant  Major  killed  three 
Indians  in  hand-to-hand  encounters. 

"  The  other  officers  of  the  command  were  Captains  Whiting  and 
Johnson,  Lieuten.  nt  Porter  and  Act.  Asst.  Surgeon  Carswell, 
U.  S.  Army;  these  officers,  as  well  as  the  non-commissioned 
officers  and  privates  of  companies  '  A/  '  F,'  '  H,'  and  '  K,' 
2d  Cavalry,  were  engaged  in  the  conflict,  and  are  alike  deserving 
the  highest  meed  of  commendation  that  can  be  bestowed  upon 
them. 

"  The  friendly  Indians  who  were  under  Mr.  Ross  rendered  es- 
sential service  in  first  stampeding,  and  afterwards  securing  the 
enemy's  animals,  and  are  deserving  of  like  praise  with  the  regular 
troops. 

"  By  order  of  Brevet  Major-General  Twiggs, 

"  JOHN  WITHERS, 
"  Assistant  Adjutant-General." 

These  subjoined  letters  are  expressive  of  his  affectionate  solici- 
tude for  his  family  during  his  long  absences,  and  one  especially 


Texas,  Indian  Fights.  39 

is  written  far  from  the  comforts  and  privileges  of  his  home  and 
its  associations. 

TO  HIS  WIFE. 
CAMP  ON  OTTER  CREEK,  C.  N.,  October  12,  1858. 

"  You  will  have  received  news  of  my  fight  and  of  my  wounds.  I 
requested  Mr.  Porter  to  write  to  you  for  me  the  day  I  was  shot, 
fearing  you  might  receive  exaggerated  accounts  of  my  condition. 
I  thought  at  first  myself  that  I  should  die,  but  soon  discovered 
that  I  was  not  in  a  dangerous  condition.  My  first  wound  was  in 
the  left  arm ;  the  arrow  entered  just  above  the  wrist,  passed  be- 
tween the  two  bones  and  stopped  near  the  elbow.  The  second 
was  in  my  body;  the  arrow  entered  opposite  the  ninth  rib  on  the 
right  side,  passed  through  the  upper  portion  of  the  stomach,  cut 
my  left  lung,  and  passed  out  on  the  left  side  between  the  sixth 
and  seventh  ribs.  Taylor  came  up  just  in  time  to  attract  the 
Indians'  attention  from  me  and  probably  saved  my  life.  He  is 
also  seriously  wounded.  I  killed  the  Indian  that  shot  me,  and  his 
horse,  in  two  shots,  going  at  full  speed.  My  little  horse  Fink 
acted  nobly,  and  when  I  pulled  the  arrows  from  me,  staining  his 
shoulders  and  mane  with  my  blood,  and  dismounting,  the  poor 
fellow  stood  perfectly  still  over  me  and  seemed  to  feel  sorrow  for 
me.  I  love  him  better  than  any  horse  I  ever  had.  I  am  now 
sitting  up  in  my  bed,  and  sometimes  forget  that  I  have  been  hurt. 
I  shall  be  walking  about  in  a  few  days.  We  got  here  yesterday 
from  the  battle  ground,  where  we  were  compelled  to  stay  some 
time  on  account  of  the  wounded,  who  could  not  be  moved.  I  was 
brought  here  eighty  miles  on  a  litter  swung  between  two  mules. 
I  came  very  comfortably,  though,  and  feel  no  fatigue.  I  had  a 
'  big  fight,'  and  you  will  see  the  papers  full  of  it  and  of  myself. 
Don't  you  feel  proud  of  me?  We  killed  more  than  sixty  Indians. 
Poor  Lieut.  Van  Camp  was  killed.  It  was  a  bad  day  for  the 
Vans.  Five  of  our  men  were  killed  and  ten  wounded.  The  doc- 
tor says  that  if  my  stomach  had  been  full,  instead  of  being  per- 
fectly empty,  as  it  was,  I  would  have  died.  I  don't  know  how 
true  this  may  be,  but  I  am  certainly  in  a  fair  way  to  get  up  now. 
You  will  see  full  accounts  of  the  fight  in  the  papers,  so  will  say 
nothing  about  it. 


4o  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

"  When  I  returned  to  the  camp  I  found  your  long,  kind  letter 
telling  me  all  about  my  little  children  and  yourself.  This  letter 
made  me  feel  well  again.  I  was  glad  to  hear  of  Olivia's  spell- 
ing, and  her  good  behavior.  With  all  the  boy's  smartness,  don't 
allow  him  to  get  impertinent — 'tis  not  pretty.  I  was  pleased  at 
your  wish  to  visit  my  sisters  in  Port  Gibson.  I  hope  you  will 
do  so.  .  . 

I  am  kindly  furnished  the  following  extract  from  a  letter  of 
Major  Van  Dorn's  descriptive  of  his  perilous  position  in  the 
battle  of  Wichita.  The  Major  says : 

"  I  charged  a  party  of  Indians  during  the  battle,  which  lasted 
about  an  hour,  and  after  shooting  one  of  them,  got  shot  myself — 
one  arrow  entered  my  arm  a  little  above  the  wrist  and  lodged  near 
the  elbow — another  entered  my  right  side,  passed  through  the 
upper  part  of  my  stomach,  ranging  upwards,  cut  the  lower  part 
of  my  left  lung,  and  came  out  on  my  left  side. 

"  When  I  pulled  the  arrows  from  me,  the  blood  followed  as  if 
weary  of  service,  and  impatient  to  cheat  me  of  life — spilling  like 
red  wine  from  a  drunkard's  tankard. 

"  It  was  sublime  to  stand  thus  on  the  brink  of  the  dark  abyss, 
and  the  contemplation  was  awful.  It  was  doubtful  for  some  time  if 
I  should  survive.  I  had  faced  death  often,  but  never  so  palpably 
'before — I  gasped  in  dreadful  agony  for  several  hours,  but  finally 
became  easy,  and  am  now  well.  My  noble,  faithful  horse, 
sprinkled  with  blood,  stood  over  me  where  I  fell  and  looked  the 
sympathy  he -could  not  utter,  and  if  I  had  died  there  I  would  not 
have  been  friendless.  If  several  soldiers  had  not  come  up  as  I 
was  shot,  I  would  have  been  stuck  as  full  of  arrows  as  Gulliver 
was  by  the  Lilliputians  and  my  best  friends  could  not  have  picke  J 
me  out  from  among  a  dozen  dead  porcupines." 

The  return  of  this  victorious  little  army  was  hailed  with  en- 
thusiastic rejoicing  and  congratulation,  and  the  Wichita  fight  and 
Van  Dorn  were  the  themes  of  song  and  story  for  many  years 
along  the  borders  and  in  the  halls  and  banqueting  rooms  of  the 
cities  of  Texas,  and  the  martial  music  of  the  "  Wichita  March," 
composed  by  his  sister  and  dedicated  to  him,  resounded  through 
the  plains  of  Texas  wherever  the  Second  Cavalry  encamped  or 
rode  on  scouting  expeditions  in  after  years. 


Texas,  Indian  Fights.  41 

After  these  sanguinary  engagements  in  Texas,  Major  Van 
Dorn  visited  his  native  place,  and  contemporaneous  newspapers 
published  his  presence  in  flattering  terms : 

MAJOR  EARL  VAN  DORN. 

"  We  had  the  honor  yesterday  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  this 
distinguished  soldier,  who  is  now  in  the  city.  Major  Van  Dorn 
is  now  enjoying  a  short  respite  from  the  arduous  duties  incident 
to  the  service  of  our  Western  frontier,  in  which  he  has  been  so  act- 
ively engaged  for  several  years  past.  No  man  connected  with  the 
United  States  Army,  since  the  termination  of  the  Mexican  war, 
has  achieved  for  himself  such  brilliant  renown  as  has  this  gallant 
son  of  Mississippi.  His  name  is  a  terror  to  all  the  fierce  tribes 
that  infest  the  vast  plains  that  lie  between  San  Antonio  and  El 
Paso. 

"  Major  Van  Dorn  has  recently  been  on  a  visit  to  his  native 
State,  and  we  see  from  the  Southern  Reveille,  published  at  Port 
Gibson,  Miss.,  that  he  was  presented  with  a  splendid  silver  service 
by  his  old  friends  and  acquaintances,  as  a  testimonial  of  their  ap- 
preciation of  him  as  a  gentleman,  and  of  the  distinguished  service 
that  he  has  done  the  country  '  on  the  tented  field.* 

"  We  bespeak  for  him  the  hospitality  and  amenities  of  our 
citizens." 

(From  the  Natchez  Democrat.) 

This  gallant  young  officer,  in  consequence  of  his  late,  brilliant 
action  on  the  frontier  of  Texas,  in  which  he  achieved  a  complete 
victory  over  a  superior  and  well-trained  force  of  Comanches,  is 
attracting  the  public  attention  and  many  encomiums  from  the 
press.  We  rejoice  at  it,  for  he  is  well  known  in  this  community, 
and  the  columns  of  this  paper,  from  the  time  he  graduated  with 
distinction  at  West  Point,  during  the  Mexican  war,  and  down  to 
the  period  of  his  late  expedition,  will  show  the  appreciation  in 
which  he  has  always  been  held  in  this  city.  His  father,  the  late 
Judge  P.  A.  Van  Dorn,  was  an  old-time  citizen  of  Natchez;  he 
was  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  a  man  of  great  ability  and  influence, 
who  came  to  Mississippi  in  1771,  and  whose  descendants  are 
among  the  most  distinguished  citizens  of  this  State  and  Louisiana. 


42  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

Judge  Van  Dorn  presided  over  the  Court  of  Probate,  one  of  the 
most  important  tribunals  known  to  our  jurisprudence.  He  was 
an  excellent  scholar,  a  man  of  extensive  information,  remarkable 
for  his  wit  and  convivial  qualities ;  and  his  mansion,  adorned  by 
a  most  attractive  and  interesting  circle  of  household  divinities, 
was  the  abode  of  hospitality.  He  married  a  Miss  Caffery,  a  near 
kinswoman  of  Mrs.  General  Andrew  Jackson,  and  an  aunt  of 
the  late  John  Jenkins,  Esq.,  and  D.  C.  Jenkins,  both  editors  of 
papers,  and  among  the  most  brilliant  men  the  State  ever  produced. 
The  parents  of  this  household  possessed  all  the  attributes  that 
go  to  make  up  a  perfect  humanity,  and  under  the  influences  of  this 
home  young  Van  Dorn  was  nurtured,  early  exhibiting  a  penchant 
for  military  life. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  Mexican  war  he  was  ordered  to 
the  Rio  Grande,  and  first  distinguished  himself  in  the  defense  of 
Fort  Brown.  During  that  bombardment  the  flagstaff,  thirty 
yards  in  front  of  the  breastworks,  was  struck  down  by  a  cannon 
ball,  and  in  the  face  of  a  terrible  fire  he  went  out  and  rehoisted  it. 

May  13,  1859. — Brevet  Major  Earl  Von  Dorn,  Captain  2d 
Cavalry,  commanding  "  A,"  "  B,'  "  C,"  "  F,"  "  G,"  and  "  H  " 
companies  2d  Cavalry,  and  fifty-eight  friendly  Indians  from  the 
Brazos  Agency,  after  a  march  of  over  two  hundred  miles,  came 
up  with  a  party  of  ninety  or  one  hundred  Comanches,  occupying 
a  strong  defensive  position.  Major  Van  Dorn,  by  gallant  and 
skilful  dispositions  swept  the  ravine,  occupied  by  the  Indians, 
with  dismounted  skirmishers,  while  the  mounted  troops  on  the 
crest  of  hills  commanded  the  outlets  above  and  below  the  position 
of  the  enemy.  The  fight  was  sharp  and  bloody,  and  took  place 
on  foot  in  a  thick  jungle.  The  results  were  killing,  wounding  and 
capturing  nearly  all  the  Indians. — Fifty  being  killed,  five 
wounded,  and  thirty-six  made  prisoners,  and  more  than  a  hundred 
animals  captured.  , 

Major  Van  Dorn  notices  the  conspicuous  gallantry  and  energy 
of  2d  Lieutenant  Fitzhugh  Lee,  Adjutant  of  the  expedition. 


Civil  War.  43 


CHAPTER  V. 

CIVIL  WAR. 

"  Not  hate,  but  glory,  made  these  chiefs  contend, 
And  each  brave  foe  was  in  his  heart  a  friend." 

THE  sublime  and  tragic  period  of  American  history  between  the 
years  1861  and  1865,  when  "  Greek  met  Greek "  in  a  clash  of 
arms  for  a  principle,  is  one  that  will  be  reverted  to  by  future 
generations  as  unparalleled  in  the  annals  of  the  world,  for  the 
military  genius  displayed,  the  heroic  deeds  performed,  the  im- 
mense sacrifice  of  human  life,  together  with  the  loss  of  fabulous 
fortunes.  The  election  of  Abraham  Lincoln  by  a  sectional  ma- 
jority thought  to  be  inimical  to  the  interests  of  the  South,  and  the 
threatened  danger  to  its  institutions,  wrought  a  common  senti- 
ment of  resistance,  self-protection  and  a  resolution  to  defend  the 
country  against  the  aggressions  of  other  states  of  the  Union. 
Mr.  Lincoln  was  elected  in  November,  and  on  the  2Oth  of  De- 
cember, 1860,  South  Carolina  took  the  initiative  step  by  passing 
an  ordinance  of  secession.  On  January  9th,  1861,  Mississippi 
followed,  and  rapidly  state  after  state  seceded  until  thirteen 
Southern  States  had  joined  in  a  confederation  for  a  common  de- 
fense. The  convention  of  Mississippi  elected  officers  to  organize 
equip  and  command  the  State  troops.  Hon.  Jefferson  Davis  had 
resigned  his  seat  in  the  United  States  Senate,  and  Major  Earl 
Van  Dorn,  Brevet-Major  of  the  U.  S.  Second  Cavalry,  had  also 
resigned  his  commission  in  the  army,  and  their  resignations  had 
been  accepted  by  the  Washington  authorities.  Mr.  Davis  was 
elected  Major-General  of  the  State  troops,  and  the  four  brigadiers 
chosen  were  Earl  Van  Dorn,  Charles  Clark,  J.  L.  Alcorn  and  C. 
H.  Mott.  It  was  a  painful  duty  to  Major  Van  Dorn  to  thus 
sunder  the  ties  of  a  lifetime,  and  all  the  aims  and  hopes  of  his 
profession,  but  it  semed  that  to  the  spot  that  gave  him  birth  was 
due  his  first  love  and  allegiance.  The  State  had  presented  him 


44  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

with  swords  in  honor  of  his  achievements  in  the  war  with  Mexico, 
and  again  against  the  Indians  in  Texas,  and  in  accepting  them 
he  had  pledged  his  life  and  honor  and  service  to  the  State,  should 
occasion  ever  offer,  little  dreaming  that  a  dissolution  of  the 
Union  would  be  the  occasion. 

The  election  of  Mr.  Davis  to  the  presidency  of  the  Confeder- 
acy soon  followed  the  secession  of  the  states,  and  Major  Van 
Dorn  was  then  elected  Major-General  of  the  State  forces  of  Mis- 
sissippi. One  member  of  the  convention  voted  against  his  elec- 
tion, saying  he  looked  too  young  for  such  a  responsible  position. 
When  informed  that  the  Major  was  forty  years  of  age  he  with- 
drew his  objection  and  the  election  was  made  unanimous.  He 
told  them  that  he  might  not  be  able  to  arrange  the  details  of  a 
large  army,  but  he  would  promise  that  when  they  were  equipped 
and  in  the  field  he  would  "  lead  them  where  they  would  get  well 
peppered." 

Rapidly  regiments  and  brigades  were  formed  throughout  the 
states,  and  the  beautiful  city  of  Montgomery,  Alabama,  became 
the  temporary  seat  of  government.  Thus,  with  a  president,  vice- 
president,  cabinet,  and  army,  the  new  confederacy  sprang  into 
existence  like  a  full-grown  Athene  from  the  brow  of  Zeus,  or 
"  like  a  new  sun  risen  on  mid-noon  "  in  its  new-born  glory  and 
hope  of  independence.  The  old  spirit  of  '76  pervaded  the  hearts 
of  the  people,  and  with  one  accord  they  prepared  to  resist  the 
humorous  Bill  Arp  said,  "  the  more  Mr.  Linkhorn  ordered  them 
a  proclamation  ordering  their  troops  to  disperse,  but,  as  the 
humorous  Bill  Arp  said,  "  the  more  ->lr.  Linkhorn  ordered  them 
to  disperse  the  more  they  gathered  together." 

The  U.  S.  transport  "  Star  of  the  West  "  arrived  at  Fort  Sum- 
ter  with  reinforcements  and  supplies,  and  then  according  to  orders 
proceeded  to  Galveston  to  bring  away  the  U.  S.  troops  stationed 
in  Texas.  General  Beauregard,  an  engineer  officer  who  had  been 
with  General  Scott  in  the  war  with  Mexico,  had  fortified  Charles- 
ton and  mounted  guns  for  the  defense  of  the  harbor.  It  is  said 
that  over  forty  per  cent,  of  the  educated  military  men  of  the 
U.  S.  Army  joined  the  Southern  army  in  this  cause. 

Thus  the  unequal  struggle  was  inaugurated.  Blockades  shut 
the  South  in,  and  shut  it  out  from  the  outside  world,  save  in  such 
way  as  supplies  could  only  be  obtained  at  great  risk  by  running 
the  blockade,  while  "  our  friends  the  enemy  "  possessed  resources 


Civil  War.  45 

that  were  inexhaustible,  recruiting  at  home  and  abroad,  and  ex~ 
erting  every  scheme  and  device  to  starve  the  rebellious  "  sub- 
jects "  into  submission.  For  four  long,  memorable  years,  the 
strain  continued,  until  with  diminished  numbers,  hunger  and 
exhaustion,  the  little  army  yielded  to  its  superior  foe, — superior 
alone  in  numbers  and  well  fed,  strong  right  arms.  Surely  never 
was  victory  more  barren  of  glory  nor  defeat  more  fraught  with 
honor.  For  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  wars  does  the  world 
award  the  palm  to  the  vanquished.  In  the  personal  memoirs  of 
General  Grant,  then  commander-in-chief  of  the  U.  S.  Army,  he 
expresses  an  opinion  that  is  startling  and  interesting  to  the 
Southern  reader.  He  says  of  the  policy  pursued  by  General 
Joe  Johnston  before  Atlanta,  "  For  my  part,  I  think  that  John- 
ston's tactics  were  right.  Anything  that  could  have  prolonged 
the  war  a  year  beyond  the  time  that  it  did  finally  close,  would 
probably  have  exhausted  the  northern  section  to  such  an  extent 
that  they  might  then  have  abandoned  the  contest  and  agreed  to  a 
separation."  (Page  167,  Vol.  I.) 

The  fierce  and  protracted  struggle  on  the  part  of  the  South  has 
been  aptly  compared  to  that  of  a  proud  animal  of  the  forest,  pur- 
sued and  bayed  until  worn  out  and  famished,  the  fierce  fire  dies 
out  from  the  eye,  the  noble  frenzy  gasps  from  the  dying  breast, 
and  it  falls  exhausted. 

When  secession  took  place  the  South  was  enjoying  a  life  full  of 
splendor,  presenting  a  political  and  social  problem  to  the  whole 
world.  Slavery  existed  in  the  midst  of  boasted  freedom  (celebrat- 
ing the  4th  of  July!)  ;  the  inferior  race  germinating  the  wealth, 
the  superior  race  dominating  the  nation.  This  condition  of 
things,  opposed  as  it  was  by  the  world,  as  well  as  a  sectional  part 
of  the  country,  was  doomed  to  pass  away ;  and  the  instrument  to 
accomplish  the  purpose  of  the  Power  that  rules  the  destiny  of 
nations  and  peoples  was  the  pen  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  added  to 
Federal  bayonets,  that  destroyed  this  once  prosperous  and  happy 
section  of  the  country;  property  in  slavery  was  wiped  out,  the 
slave  was  free,  and  the  South  became  for  a  time  a  nation  of  land- 
lords without  tenants. 

General  Van  Dorn  preferred  to  unite  himself  with  what  was 
supposed  to  be  the  regular  army  of  the  C.  S.  A.,  and  asked  to  be 
assigned  to  a  rank  in  such  army  rather  than  remain  in  command 


46  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

of  State  troops;  hence  he  received  the  rank  of  Colonel  of  the 
C.  S.  A.,  and  was  ordered  to  Texas  to  capture  the  U.  S.  forts 
and  arms  in  that  State,  together  with  the  "  Star  of  the  West," 
then  anchored  in  the  harbor  at  Galveston.  The  following  letters 
addressed  to  his  wife  give  an  outline  of  his  movements  about  this 
date: 

"  NEW  ORLEANS.,  LA.  April  14,  1861. 

"  I  know  you  will  feel  sad  and  disappointed  when  I  tell  you 
that  I  am  ordered  off,  at  once,  and  without  a  moment's  delay,  to 
Texas  again.  I  went  to  Montgomery  by  order,  and  received  in- 
structions to  come  to  New  Orleans  and  assume  command  of  the 
defenses  of  the  city,  and  was  on  my  way  down  the  river  to  Mo- 
bile, rejoiced  that  I  would  have  you  here  with  me,  and  have  at 
least  a  short  time  together  after  our  long  separation ;  but  when  I 
got  to  Selma  a  telegraphic  despatch  intercepted  me,  from  the 
Secretary  of  War,  directing  me  to  return  at  once  to  Montgomery. 
Upon  my  return  Ihe  President  had  directed  that  I  should  be  sent 
to  Texas  without  a  moment's  delay,  to  raise  an  army  to  take 
prisoners  of  war  all  the  troops  of  the  Government  left  in  the  State. 
I  must,  therefore,  leave  to-morrow  morning.  Yours  has  been,  I 
know,  a  trying  life.  Mine  has  been  one  of  excitement,  long  pa- 
tience, and  hope  deferred — God  bless  you.  I  hope  yet  that  you 
will  be  happier  with  a  good  cause. 

"  I  shall  be  in  the  field,  but  will  receive  my  letters  from  San 
Antonio,  where  I  hope  you  will  write  to  me  often.  I  can't  tell 
you  how  long  I  shall  be  there.  It  will  depend  upon  my  success. 
If  I  find  the  troops  in  good  positions  to  be  captured,  I  shall  return 
in  a  short  time,  I  think,  unless  new  and  unforeseen  troubles  arise. 
If  I  have  to  remain  in  Texas  in  command,  my  headquarters  will 
be  in  San  Antonio,  where  I  shall  remove  you,  and  will  come  for 
you.  It  is  hard  to  anticipate  in  these  times  what  we  shall  do  a 
month  hence.  I  presume  you  prefer  to  remain  where  you  are  for 
the  present,  do  you  not  ?  I  think  you  had  better,  for  the  benefit 
of  the  children.  If  you  get  tired,  visit  Sallie  a  while.  I  send  you 
a  hundred  dollars  and  have  left  a  horse  in  New  Orleans  to  be 
sold  (not  'Fink'J,  with  instructions  to  send  you  the  money. 
Write  to  me  and  say  when  you  want  more.  I  will  send  anyway 
all  I  can  spare. — God  bless  you  and  my  children.  Be  still  patient, 
for  we  are  in  hard  times,  when  no  man  can  rest — especially 


Civil  War.  47 

soldiers.  Pray  for  us  and  for  our  noble  country.  Tell  my  little 
Olivia  not  to  forget  me  in  her  prayers,  for  she  is  an  angel  and  her 
least  word  wil  be  heard  in  heaven.  Good-by  and  best  love. 

"  It  may  be  that  in  this  sad  war  I  shall  have  to  fight  some  of  my 
old  comrades — that  would  be  hard ;  but  it  cannot  be  helped.  [ 
hope  I  shall  be  enabled  to  raise  a  force  so  large  that  there  could 
be  no  hope  of  resistance,  and  that  they  will  yield  to  me.  I  sin- 
cerely hope  so.  The  President  was  very  kind  to  me,  so  much  so 
that  I  was  made  quite  a  Lion  of  at  the  seat  of  Government  by  his 
manner  to  me.  He  even  walked  down  to  the  boat  with  me  to  see 
me  off,  and  I  was  of  course  the  observed  and  envy  of  hundreds. 
He  begged  me  to  present  his  best  regards  to  you  when  he  said 
'  good-by,'  and  added,  '  God  bless  you,'  with  a  warm  grasp  of  the 
hand.  He  is  a  great  and  good  man,  and  God  will  be  with  us. 
These  are  times  to  try  men's  souls, — and  women's,  too.  Bear 
up  and  hope  for  us  and  pray  for  us.  If  Heaven  carries  me  safely 
through  these  coming  storms,  I  shall  be  the  more  valuable  to  you 
and  ours.  I  shall  win  honors  and  reputation  and  a  name,  and 
shall  redeem  the  hardships  of  the  past.  The  sad  war  has  com- 
menced, and  the  hope  I  had  of  rest  and  happiness  in  being  with 
my  family  is  again  denied  me.  It  seems  our  fate.  But  still  let 
us  hope.  It  may  be  that  I  shall  have  my  hopes  realized  some 
day." 

"  JACKSON,  Miss.,  February  3,  1861. 

"  You  are  disappointed  as  well  as  myself  by  the  non-appearance 
of  the  cars.  The  rains  have  washed  up  the  roads  in  every  direc- 
tion, and  we  are  isolated  from  all  the  world  '  and  the  rest  of  man- 
kind.' I  hope  you  are  well.  I  was  uneasy  about  my  little  jewel 
daughter,  but  as  you  did  not  write  I  hoped  that  she  had  recovered 
from  her  little  spell  of  sickness.  '  Do  don't '  let  her  be  impru- 
dent in  anything,  studying,  or  anything  else  that  might  injure  her 
health.  She  is  so  fragile,  so  delicate.  She  is  the  '  pearl  that 
has  been  washed  on  my  tempest-beaten  shore,'  and  I  love  her, — 
I  am  afraid,  too  much.  The  boy  is  a  pine  knot  and  nothing  can 
hurt  him,  being  a  chip  of  the  old  block!  Are  you  still  pleased 
with  your  domiciliary  arrangements?  (By  the  by,  I  have  been 
assgned  to  the  eastern  district  of  the  State,  all  the  counties  bor- 
dering on  the  State  of  Alabama  from  Aberdeen  and  Columbus  to 
Mobile  and  Pascagoula,  along  the  railroad  from  Mobile  to  Ohio. 


48  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

But  I  have  been  ordered  on  duty  here  to  aid  the  Governor  in 
organizing,  equipping  and  putting  things  in  shape  generally,  for 
the  approaching  storm  (temporarily).  My  aide-de-camp  goes  to 
Columbus  to-morrow  to  muster  in  troops  for  me,  and  he  says  I 
will  receive  a  grand  reception  when  I  go  there.  He  says  also  that 
the  ladies  there  are  making  me  a  flag  already.  Who  knows  but 
that  yet  out  of  the  storms  of  revolution — the  dark  clouds  of  war — 
I  may  not  be  able  to  catch  a  spark  of  the  lightning  and  shine 
through  all  time  to  come,  a  burning  name !  I  feel  a  greatness  in 
my  soul — and  if  I  can  make  it  take  a  shape  and  walk  forth,  it  may 
be  seen  and  felt.  Heaven  guide  my  footsteps  through  the  laby- 
rinth ahead.  Pray  for  me. 

"  Jefferson  Davis  expressed  himself  very  much  pleased  at  my 
election,  and  showed  me  the  greatest  kindness,  and  even  attention, 
asking  me  to  dine  with  him  that  I  might  make  the  acquaintance 
of  Mrs.  Davis  and  his  children.  He  is  without  doubt  a  strong 
friend. 

"  I  have  received  letters  from  a  number  of  friends  asking  for 
positions  on  my  staff.  I  would  like  to  have  them  all,  but  what 
can  I  do?  Staff  officers  are  to  be  elected  by  the  Board,  and  I 
have  but  one  voice,  and  have  many,  many  applications  from  men 
of  very  high  standing,  and  they  will  be  candidates  hard  to  com- 
pete with. 

"  I  am  on  duty  with  pay,  I  presume,  as  the  Board  ordered  it, 
but  it  is  to  be  seen.  I  am  nearly  out  of  funds,  and  if  I  do  not  hear 
from  the  Board  soon  will  have  to  make  a  run  down  to  '  raise  the 
wind/  I  expect  that  my  duties  will  also  compel  me  to  run  down 
to  New  Orleans  before  long.  I  have  charge  of  the  quartermaster, 
commissary  and  ordnance  departments,  and  everything  else,  and 
in  addition  to  all,  to  go  to  work  to-morrow  to  build  an  arsenal 
for  the  State  arms,  etc. — Hands  full. 

"  Say  to  our  friend,  Mr.  Bowen,  late  of  the  Navy,  with  a  pro- 
clivity for  piracy,  that  I  saw  a  Navy  acquaintance  of  his  here 
the  other  day — Capt.  Lovell  of  Natchez  (brother  of  my  friend), 
and  that  he  gave  me  such  a  good  account  of  him  that  I  shall 
make  extra  efforts  to  get  him  a  place  in  the  staff  corps,  and  to 
write  which  of  them  he  would  prefer — adjutant-general,  or 
quartermaster-general's  department  ? 

"  Give  my  best  love  to  Sister  Emily  and  tell  her  to  pinch  you 
when  you  get  gloomy  and  keep  you  in  as  good  spirits  as  she 


Civil  War.  49 

forces  upon  herself.  God  bless  her — she  has  a  nobler,  least 
selfish  soul  than  nine-tenths  of  all  the  world.  Love  her  and  put 
her  near  your  heart  and  keep  her  there.  Kiss  my  dear  little 
ones  and  yourself — Good-by." 


The  first  gun  fired  by  the  Confederates  was  directed  at  the 
"  Star  of  the  West,"  which  had  been  sent  to  reinforce  Fort  Sumter 
at  Charleston  harbor,  and  she  was  captured  at  Galveston  shortly 
afterwards  as  the  first  prize  of  the  war.  The  ship  carried  at  least 
one  shot  hole,  received  at  the  time  it  was  landed  at  Fort  Sumter. 
The  troops  of  the  United  States  then  in  Texas  had  been  com- 
manded by  General  Twiggs ;  that  officer  had  resigned  his  com- 
mission in  the  Army,  and  the  troops  had  been  marched  to  the  sea- 
shore preparatory  to  embarking  on  this  transport. 

In  obedience  to  orders,  Col.  Van  Dorn,  on  the  15th  of  April, 
1 86 1,  took  passage  on  the  steamer  "  Matagorda,"  at  Brashier  City, 
en  route  to  Galveston,  his  purpose  being  to  intercept  the  troops 
at  Indianola,  and  capture  them  before  they  reached  the  transport 
"  Star  of  the  West."  On  arriving  at  Galveston  Col.  Van  Dorn  kept 
possession  of  the  transport  "  Matagorda,"  and  detained  it  while  he 
made  his  preparations  to  arm  and  equip  men  to  aid  him  in  the 
capture.  He  was  soon  well  in  command  of  a  gallant  band  of 
volunteers  enlisted  at  Galveston,  consisting  of  the  Wigfall 
Guards,  40  men ;  the  Island  City  Rifles,  45  men,  and  Galveston 
Artillery,  40  men,  with  their  guns.  Captain  McGrath  of  the  Wig- 
fall  Guards,  offered  to  double  his  men,  but  there  was  no  time  to 
delay.  By  12  o'clock  at  night  the  troops  were  on  board  the 
steamer,  and  by  3  A.  M.  she  was  outside  the  bar.  The  vessel  then 
sailed  for  Indianola.  On  reaching  Pass  Cavallo  the  "  Star  of 
the  West  "  was  found  anchored  in  the  bay  waiting  to  receive  the 
troops  then  on  the  wharf  at  Indianola,  expecting  to  take  passage 
on  the  steamer  "  Fashion,"  to  be  transferred  to  the  U.  S.  trans- 
port, that  vessel  being  unable  to  cross  the  bar.  About  two  miles 
away  Colonel  Van  Dorn  left  his  own  men  until  the  "  Matagorda  " 
returned  from  Indianola  after  discharging  freight  for  that  point. 
But  in  order  to  lose  no  time  he  released  the  ship  and  secured  the 
steamer  "  General  Rusk,"  a  vessel  belonging  to  the  Morgan  line. 
He  took  on  board  his  men,  and  as  night  came  on  the  ship  crossed 
4 


50  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

the  bar  and  ran  alongside  the-"  Star  of  the  West."  A  request  was 
made  of  the  captain  to  throw  out  a  line  to  the  "  General  Rusk," 
which  was  done,  the  captain  suspecting  nothing,  and  the  ship  was 
made  fast  to  the  U.  S.  transport.  At  once  an  officer  stepped 
aboard  and  was  quickly  followed  by  the  rest  of  the  men.  The 
captain  of  the  vessel  was  placed  under  arrest  and  Col.  Van  Dorn 
took  possession  of  the  ship.  This  was  the  first  prize  of  the  Con- 
federates. The  crew  was  hired  to  take  the  ship  to  New  Orleans, 
where  she  remained  as  a  receiving  ship  until  sent  up  the  river, 
where  she  was  reported  burned  to  keep  her  from  falling  into  the 
enemy's  hands. 

After  this  capture  and  despatching  the  prize  to  New  Orleans, 
Colonel  Van  Dorn  organized  a  second  expedition  of  800  men  and 
proceeded  with  great  celerity  against  the  troops  at  Indianola 
awaiting  the  transport.  On  the  24th  of  April,  just  six  days  later, 
he  surprised  the  steamship  "  United  States  "  and  "  Fashion  "  with 
thirty  men,  and  taking  these  two  vessels  and  protecting  them  with 
cotton  bales  and  armed  with  one  gun,  he  came  upon  the  troops  on 
the  two  sailing  vessels  at  Saluria  and  demanded  their  surrender. 
The  demand  was  complied  with,  many  of  the  prisoners  weeping 
as  they  delivered  up  their  arms. 

The  startling  and  daring  courage  of  this  officer  filled  the  South- 
ern papers  with  applause  and  made  him  the  hero  of  the  day,  while 
the  Northern  press  denounced  him  as  a  pirate  and  highwayman, 
and  the  gallant  hero  of  the  Mexican  war,  General  Twiggs,  was 
denounced  as  a  traitor.  Some  Northern  papers  referred  to 
Colonel  Van  Dorn  as  "  that  Van  Dorn,"  and  offered  $5,000  for 
his  head,  while  they  offered  but  $3,000  for  the  head  of  General 
Beauregard.  General  Smith,  then  on  the  Pacific  coast,  said  it 
would  be  "  like  Van  Dorn  to  come  over  there  after  he  had  finished 
with  Texas,"  and  added  that  he  was  more  to  be  feared  than  any 
other  officer  in  the  Southern  army.  The  following  order  was 
issued  to  the  Texas  troops  who  had  so  gallantly  rushed  to  his  aid 
when  he  called  for  volunteers : 

GENERAL  ORDER  No.  5. 

"  It  is  the  pleasing  duty  of  the  Colonel  Commanding  to  thank 
the  volunteer  troops  of  Texas  for  the  valuable  services  they  have 
again  rendered  to  the  Confederate  States. 


Civil  War.  51 

"  Being  called  upon  at  short  notice  to  take  the  field,  they  re- 
sponded with  that  promptness  which  proved  how  high  is  the 
military  spirit  of  the  State,  and  how  ready  her  people  are  to 
seize  arms  in  defense  of  her  honor,  and  in  vindication  of  their 
rights.  It  was  not  the  wish  of  the  volunteers  of  Texas,  however, 
to  fight  against  those  troops  of  the  United  States  who  had  been 
defending  their  frontiers  for  years,  and  who  found  themselves 
on  their  soil  in  the  attitude  of  enemies,  only  because  of  political 
changes  which  they  did  nothing  to  bring  about — many  of  whom 
had  been  personally  endeared  to  them  by  long  association,  and 
by  their  gallant  deeds  (well  remembered),  as  their  old  comrades 
in  the  war  with  Mexico.  With  the  true  spirit  of  brave  men  who 
know  how  to  appreciate  a  soldier's  honor,  they  marshaled  in  such 
numbers  before  them  that  the  rugged  necessities  of  war  might  be 
accomplished  without  bloodshed  and  without  the  loss  of  reputa- 
tion to  their  gallant  opponents.  There  was  no  exultation  over  the 
surrender  of  the  troops  of  the  old  8th  Infantry.  This  would  not 
be  the  case  were  the  volunteers  of  Texas  called  out  under  arms 
to  contend  with  an  invading  force  sent  against  them  from  the 
North.  Far  from  it.  There  would  then  be  no  regrets,  no  affec- 
tion, and  no  disparity  of  numbers ;  and  '  death  to  the  foe  and 
victory  after  the  fight '  would  be  the  object  and  the  aim  of  every 
true  Texan." 

Detailed  accounts  of  the  capture  of  the  "  Star  of  the  West  "  are 
given  in  the  Appendix,  one  by  the  captain  of  the  transport,  pub- 
lished in  the  New  Orleans  Times-Democrat;  another  in  an  article 
from  the  Galveston  News,  giving  its  version  of  the  capture. 

A  ball  and  banquet  were  tendered  General  Van  Dorn  by  the 
people  of  Texas  at  San  Antonio,  and  at  the  banquet  he  responded 
to  a  flattering  toast  in  these  words : 

"  I  have  been  a  soldier  from  early  youth,  and  have  never  learned 
the  art  of  expressing  myself  in  smooth  and  courteous  language  on 
occasions  like  this.  You  will  excuse  me,  therefore,  if  I  do  not 
attempt  to  flounder  through  an  awkwardly  expressed  speech  in 
reply  to  the  flattering  remarks  I  have  just  heard.  No  words 
are  necessary  to  convey  to  me  the  kindly  sentiments  of  the  people 
of  San  Antonio,  for  I  have  heard  them  in  your  streets,  and  have 
•*een  them  in  your  eyes — those  never-failing  indices  of  the  heart. 

"  This  assemblage  of  beauty  and  chivalry  is  more  than  a  ioun- 


52  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

tain  to  the  thirstiest  ambition — one  smile  from  the  beauty  around 
me  here — one  kind  and  approving  glance  from  the  eyes  of  those 
here,  who,  like  myself,  contend  in  the  rougher  arena  of  life — were 
more  than  sufficient  to  compensate  me  for  all  my  humble  labors  on 
the  tented  field.  The  smiles  of  women,  and  the  approbation  of 
men,  are  the  earth-marks  of  our  loftiest  aspirations.  To  win  them 
the  student  burns  the  midnight  lamp,  the  soldier  sheds  his  blood 
on  the  battle-field — and  for  them  all  are  willing  to  die.  They  are 
the  sweetest  apples  of  the  Hesperides. 

"  However  unworthy,  I  humbly  thank  you  for  your  smiles  and 
expressions  of  approbation.  I  would  be  dead  indeed  to  every  sen- 
timent of  honor  and  kindness  did  I  not  feel  sincerely  what  is  here 
offered  me.  Allow  me  to  propose :  '  The  Women  of  the  South — 
the  safeguards  of  our  honor — wherever  they  point  there  our 
honor  lies.' '' 

These  letters  to  his  wife  express  his  position  at  this  time,  and 
the  feelings  that  prompted  his  action. 

"  SAN  ANTONIO,  TEXAS,  May  io,  1861. 

"  I  was  delighted  to  hear  from  you  the  day  before  yesterday.  I 
had  been  in  fear  lest  the  mails  should  miscarry,  as  they  are  irregu- 
lar. Your  letter  reached  me  as  I  was  about  to  march  out  to  meet 
the  U.  S.  troops,  and  I  deferred  answering  until  to-day,  that  I 
might  write  you  of  my  success.  I  have  taken  all  the  U.  S.  troops 
in  Texas  prisoners  of  war,  and  now  lean  back  in  my  chair  and 
smoke  my  pipe  in  peace,  so  far  as  campaigning  is  concerned,  for 
the  present.  I  received  this  evening  the  tender  of  a  ball  in  honor 
of  my  successes,  on  behalf  of  the  citizens  of  this  city.  I  also  re- 
ceived the  proclamation  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  in  which  I  find  that  I  am 
a  '  pirate.'  So  that  I  shall  dance  with  a  sort  of  Corsair  gravity 
becoming  the  occasion. 

"  I  am  yet  to  hear  whether  or  not  I  am  to  remain  in  Texas. 
Office  duties  are  not  congenial  to  my  taste  or  proclivities.  Buying 
and  supplying  provisions,  clothing,  etc.,  for  troops  is  not  my  forte. 
But  in  these  times  my  all  is  with  our  cause,  and  I  have  no  mur- 
mur for  any  order  that  the  Government  may  give.  I  hope,  how- 
ever, that  I  may  find  myself  before  long  at  the  head  of  my  regi- 
ment, where  I  feel  I  properly  belong,  and  where  my  services 
would  be  more  valuable  to  my  country.  I  am  as  restless  as  a 


Civil  War.  53 

panther  caged,  in  an  office,  and  have  not  the  patience  to  attend  to 
the  duties  required  of  me.  The  free  air,  a  brave  troop  and  a 
bright  sword  on  the  plains,  and  I  breathe  again!  I  am  getting 
young  once  more  at  the  thought  that  my  soul  shall  be  awakened 
again  as  it  was  in  Mexico.  I  have  a  destiny,  and  I  yet  shall  fling 
at  your  feet  a  wreath  worthy  of  so  good  a  woman." 

"  GALVESTON,  TEXAS,  July  23,  1861. 

"  It  has  been  an  age  since  I  have  heard  from  you.  But  I  am  not 
surprised,  as  the  mails  but  seldom  reach  us  here  since  the  blockade. 
I  hope,  however,  that  you  have  written  and  that  your  letters  will 
reach  me  in  the  course  of  time.  I  have  just  recovered  from  a  spell 
of  sickness.  I  was  called  to  Austin  by  the  Governor,  and  on  my 
return  to  San  Antonio  was  compelled  to  come  down  to  the  coast 
again,  and  on  my  way  was  taken  sick  with  fever  and  had  to  stop 
at  Eagle  Lake,  where  I  was  laid  up  several  days.  I  am  now  well 
again. 

"  I  am  so  much  on  the  go,  so  much  worried  and  troubled  by  a 
thousand  duties  and  a  thousand  annoyances,  that  I  have  not  been 
able  to  write  often.  I  have  more  to  attend  to  than  I  can  do  well, 
and  am  much  fatigued  in  mind  and  body.  I  see  no  prospect  of  a 
termination  of  it  either;  on  the  contrary,  the  trouble  thickens. 
We  expect  the  landing  of  an  army  on  our  coast  and  to  meet  it  is 
our  constant  thought.  Upon  my  shoulders  rests  all  the  re- 
sponsibility. Everybody  looks  to  me  and  my  mind  is  strained  day 
and  night  in  thought  that  all  may  go  well  with  us.  God  lead 
us  aright.  We  are  badly  armed  and  poorly  equipped,  but  with 
stout  hearts  and  strong  arms  we  hope  to  repel  the  enemy.  We 
hear  that  500,000  men  are  being  raised  to  send  against  the  South. 
What  a  future  is  before  us !  What  a  infamous  war !  But  we 
must  meet  it.  If  it  comes  many  a  tear  will  be  dropped  before  it 
closes ;  but  better  that  than  dishonor  and  the  loss  of  liberty.  Let 
their  victories  sit  upon  the  ruins  of  our  homes,  but  let  them  not 
see  us  live  to  pander  to  their  pride  or  to  shrink  beneath  their 
laurels.  I  feel  the  weight  of  my  responsibility  terribly,  but  I 
must  bear  up  under  it.  /  must  win — there  can  be  no  such  thing 
as  fail.  You  are  unhappy,  but  you  are  safe,  and  I  feel  grateful 
that  you  are  in  good  hands.  Your  parents  must  feel  the  greatest 
kindness  and  affection  for  you,  situated  as  you  are.  I  hope  your 
health  is  now  good.  Why  don't  you  write  to  me  often  ?  " 


54  A  Soldier's  Honor. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

IN  VIRGINIA. 

IN  September,  1861,  after  his  expedition  to  Texas,  General  Van 
Dorn  was  ordered  to  report  without  delay  to  headquarters  of  the 
army  at  Richmond,  Virginia,  and  was  relieved  of  the  command  in 
Texas  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  cavalry  troops  to  operate 
in  Virginia.  He  was  then  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Major-General. 
Consequently,  without  pausing  to  visit  his  family,  he  hurried  on 
to  Richmond.  En  route,  he  telegraphed  to  his  sister  at  Port 
Gibson  to  bring  his  little  daughter,  who  was  attending  school  at 
that  place,  to  the  railroad  some  thirty  miles  distant,  that  he  might 
see  her.  But  greatly  to  the  disappointment  of  each,  a  storm  had 
swollen  the  streams  and  prevented  the  meeting.  The  letters  in- 
serted in  the  Appendix  set  forth  many  facts,  and  describe  some- 
what the  condition  of  things  around  Port  Gibson.  A  picture  of 
the  beautiful  little  daughter,  Olivia,  was  forwarded  as  a  substi- 
tute for  the  disappointed  meeting,  which  adorned  and  refreshed 
the  camp  of  her  father  in  Virginia  for  many  weary  days. 

This  letter,  written  at  the  request  of  his  chief,  in  order  to  keep 
in  touch  with  his  family,  is  from  a  nephew,  Colonel  Clement 
Sulivane,  the  son  of  General  Van  Dorn's  sister  "  Octavia,"  whose 
beauty  and  gentleness  of  manner  and  character  had  been  the 
theme  of  many  admirers  North  and  South,  and  who  had  been  the 
pride  and  best  loved  of  the  family  group  of  "  The  Hill  "  in  her 
youth,  and  afterwards  in  middle  life  down  to  old  age.  She  died 
at  a  ripe  age,  lamented  by  hosts  of  friends  and  surrounded  by  her 
interesting  family.  (See  Appendix.) 

"  RICHMOND,  VA.,  Nov.  19,  1861. 
"  MY  DEAR  AUNT  : 

Last  week,  while  toiling  among  the  mountains  of  Northwestern 
Virginia,  I  received  a  letter  from  General  Van  Dorn  informing 


In  Virginia.  55 

me  that  he.  had  obtained  for  me  a  lieutenancy  in  the  army,  and 
offering  me  a  place  on  his  staff.  I  accepted,  of  course,  with  grati- 
tude and  pleasure  and  went  down  to  Manassas  immediately.  I 
came  from  there  to-day  in  order  to  purchase  my  equipments,  and 
write  to  you  in  his  place  that  his  family  may  be  informed  of  his 
continued  welfare.  He  is  too  busy  to  write  himself.  He  sends 
much  love  to  you  all  and  takes  the  greatest  delight  in  the  likeness 
of  his  admirable  little  girl.  It  is  a  pleasure  to  us  all,  forming  such 
a  contrast  as  it  does  to  the  stern  visage  of  war  around  us. 

"  I  find  A.  Vertner  is  also  with  us.  He  informed  us  of  Doug's 
arrival  in  New  York  from  California.  Henry  Hughes  has  been 
elected  Colonel  of  his  regiment.  It  is  thought  Shoemaker  will 
succeed  him  as  Captain.  The  contest  lies  between  him  and 
Willie  Martin.  I  have  not  seen  our  boys  as  yet,  but  intend  going 
over  as  soon  as  I  get  back. 

"  It  is  thought  that  the  big  battle  will  take  place  about  Sunday 
or  Monday.  The  Generals  appear  confident  of  victory.  God  in 
Heaven  grant  they  may  not  be  disappointed. 

"  I  have  had  the  honor  to  be  under  fire,  and  have  stepped  over 
the  bodies  of  the  slain.  Up  to  this  time  I  have  been  spared  the  dis- 
agreeable necessity  of  running  from  Yankees,  and  have  only  run 
after  them.  I  earnestly  hope  it  is  not  written  for  me  to  learn 
another  lesson  at  Manassas. 

"  I  have  heard  from  my  mother  lately  through  friends  coming 
over  from  Maryland,  and  all  were  well.  .  .  .  The  General  joins 
me  in  love  to  all. 

"  CLEMENT  SULIVANE." 

"  CULPEPER  C.  H.,  Va.,  December  12,  1861. 
"  MY  DEAR  BROTHER  : 

"  I  heard  in  Richmond  for  the  first  time  of  Clem's  being  with 
you,  and  my  heart  overflowed  with  gratitude  to  you  for  having 
rescued  him  from  the  hardships  in  Western  Virginia  and  given 
him  so  desirable  a  position  near  your  person.  That  feeling  has 
been  enhanced  since  I  have  seen  him  and  heard  him  relate  the 
adventures  of  his  company.  I  was  not  before  able  to  realize  what 
their  trials  and  privations  were.  But  Clem  has  thrived  under 
them  all,  and  only  tells  of  it,  laughs  over  it  as  though  he  were 
speaking  of  the  funny  adventures  of  some  sporting  excursions. 
My  heart  is  now  at  rest  about  him,  for  I  know  that  if  God  spares 


56  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

his  life  he  will  make  himself  so  useful  to  you  and  to  his  country 
that  his  fortunes  in  life  were  secured  from  the  day  the  opportunity 
was  given  of  devoting  himself  to  the  happy  task.  From  my  in- 
most soul  I  am  glad  of  your  advancement  in  your  profession  and 
congratulate  you  most  sincerely  on  the  attainment  of  your  high 
position.  You  have  already  impressed  Clem  with  the  opinion 
that  you  have  but  one  equal  in  the  Army,  and  he  is  your  junior 
in  command.  This  is  not  intended  for  flattery,  but  merely  what 
he  has  said  to  me  in  private.  I  don't  know  what  you  think,  but 
I  have  a  high  opinion  of  his  judgment,  if  he  is  my  son.  Are  you 
not  going  to  give  me  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  at  your  head- 
quarters ?  Do  try  to  make  such  a  thing  possible,  for  I  cannot  re- 
turn satisfied  until  I  have  done  so.  ...  It  will  be  a  happy  day 
when  you  come  into  Maryland.  I  shall  return  after  hearing  from 
them  at  home.  I  must  do  something  for  you  while  I  am  here. 
Tell  me  what  I  can  do? 

"  Your  affectionate  sister, 

"  OCTAVIA." 

The  following  interesting  correspondence  is  from  a  contem- 
porary Virginia  paper  and  will  explain  itself. 

One  of  the  pleasantest  episodes  of  the  war  is  embraced  in  the 
accompanying  correspondence  between  Miss  Constance  Gary, 
an  exile  from  Alexandria,  and  General  Van  Dorn.  Miss  Cary  is 
a  young  lady  whose  personal  charms  ar;  eclipsed  by  her  own  in- 
tellectual brilliancy  alone — one  of  those  rare  creatures  whom 
Titian  loved  to  paint,  Shakespeare  to  personify : 

"  CULPEPER  C.  H.,  Nov.  10,  1861. 

"  Will  General  Van  Dorn  honor  me  by  accepting  a  flag  which  I 
have  taken  great  pleasure  in  making,  and  now  send  forth,  with 
an  earnest  prayer  that  the  work  of  my  hands  may  take  its  place 
near  him  as  he  goes  out  to  a  glorious  struggle,  and,  God  willing, 
may  one  day  wave  over  the  recaptured  batteries  of  my  ill-fated 
home — the  down-trodden  Alexandria. 

"  I  am,  very  respectfully,  General  Van  Dorn's  obedient  servant, 

"  CONSTANCE  CARY." 

"  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC,  MANASSAS,  Nov.  12,  1861. 
"  To  Miss  Constance  Cary,  Culpeper  C.  H.,  Va. : 
"  MY  DEAR  Miss  CARY  : — The  beautiful  flag  made  by  your  hands 


In  Virginia.  57 

and  presented  to  me,  with  the  prayer  that  it  should  be  borne  by 
my  side  in  the  impending  struggle  for  the  existence  of  our  coun- 
try, is  an  appeal  to  me,  as  a  soldier,  as  eloquent  as  the  alluring 
promises  of  glory;  but  when  you  express  the  hope,  in  addition, 
that  it  may  one  day  wave  over  the  recaptured  city  of  your  nativity, 
'  the  down-trodden  Alexandria,'  your  appeal  becomes  a  suppli- 
cation so  beautiful  and  holy  that  I  were  craven-spirited  indeed 
not  to  respond  to  it  with  all  the  ability  that  God  has  given  me- 
Be  assured,  dear  lady,  that  it  shall  wave  over  your  dear  home  if 
Heaven  smiles  upon  our  cause  and  I  live,  and  that  there  shall  be 
written  upon  it,  by  the  side  of  your  name,  which  it  now  bears, 
'  Victory,  Honor  and  Independence.' 

"  In  the  meantime,  I  shall  hope  that  you  may  be  as  happy  as 
you — who  have  the  soul  thus  to  cheer  the  soldier  on  to  noble 
deeds  and  to  victory — should  be ;  and  that  the  flowers  that  were 
wont  to  bloom  by  your  window,  may  bloom  as  sweetly  for  you 
next  May  as  they  rver  did,  to  welcome  you  home  again. 

"  Very  truly  and  respectfully,  dear  lady,  I  am  your  obedient 
humble  servant, 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN, 

"  Major-General  P.  A.  C.  S" 

"  CULPEPER  C.  H.,  Dec.  4,  1861. 

"  It  would  be  but  a  vain  task  for  me  to  attempt  to  give  expres- 
sion to  all  the  pleasure  I  have  experienced  upon  the  receipt  of  the 
testimonial  of  the  friendly  feeling  with  which  General  Van  Dorn 
has  honored  a  comparative  stranger,  but  I  must  take  advantage  of 
Mr.  Bulong's  kindness  to  return  my  sincere  and  grateful  thanks 
for  the  interest  and  forethought  which  has  dictated  this  mission, 
whose  results  will  be  trifling  indeed  compared  with  the  reflection 
that  it  was  undertaken  for  me. 

"  In  regard  to  the  banner,  I  can  only  say,  that  henceforth  I  shall 
be  doubly  proud  and  glad  to  claim  it  as  having  gone  forth  from 
my  hand  to  be  enshrined  in  the  heart  and  affections  of  a  Van 
Dorn! 

"  In  conclusion  I  would  add  the  hope  that  at  some  future  day  I 
shall  have  an  opportunity  to  express  to  General  Van  Dorn  in  per- 
son all  that  my  pen  has  failed  to  do.  Then  I  can  better  assure  him 
than  now,  how  sincerely  I  remain  his  friend, 

"  CONSTANCE  GARY 
"  (MRS.  BURTON  HARRISON)." 


58  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

LETTER  TO  HIS  WIFE. 

"UNION  MILLS,  MANASSAS,  VA.,  Nov.  29,  1861. 
"  I  have  delayed  several  days  from  my  usual  time  for  writing 
that  I  might  get  some  money  to  send  you.  I  have  at  last  got  some 
money  and  enclose  you  $150,  which  I  hope  will  do  until  next 
month,  when  I  will  send  you  more.  If  you  go  to  Port  Gibson 
write  when  you  start  that  I  may  send  to  you  there.  I  got  a  letter 
from  sister  Emily  a  few  days  since,  in  which  she  says  that  she 
had  written  to  ask  you  to  come  over  and  be  with  her  and  Olivia. 
You  can  go  very  easily  by  taking  the  cars  at  Mobile  and  go  to 
the  junction  of  the  Vicksburg  and  Brandon  road,  passing  through 
Jackson,  go  to  Vicksburg  and  thence  by  steamboat  to  Grand  Gulf. 
I  would  not  go,  though,  until  about  the  middle  or  the  2Oth  of 
December.  It  will  be  determined  by  that  time  whether  or  not 
we  are  to  have  a  great  battle  here ;  besides,  I  will  be  able,  prob- 
ably, to  send  you  more  funds  by  that  time.  It  is  believed  that 
the  enemy  must  come  out  against  us  soon.  It  is  the  belief 
here  that  they  are  making  vigorous  efforts  to  get  in  readi- 
ness to  march  against  us.  They  know  our  strength  and  are 
afraid  of  us.  It  is  said  that  they  will  march  with  about  80,000. 
We  can,  I  think,  oppose  them  with  60,000  men,  in  position,  and 
will  defeat  them  without  doubt.  It  will  be  a  terrible  affair,  but 
I  have  no  fears  whatever  of  the  result.  I  had  a  review  of  my 
division  a  few  days  ago — the  first  we  have  had  in  the  army  here. 
It  was  a  splendid  pageant — about  7,000  men  and  several  batteries 
of  artillery.  When  my  division  is  completed,  that  is,  when  all  my 
brigades  and  regiments  join,  I  will  have  command  of  about 
20,000  men.  So  you  see  that  I  will  have  both  enough  to  do  and 
to  think  about.  I  am  glad  that  my  division  increases  by  degrees, 
as  it  gives  me  the  opportunity  of  learning  the  necessities  of  the 
service  by  degrees.  Ideas  expand  by  degrees.  I  hope,  my  Carrie, 
that  your  health  is  restored.  It  is  a  hard  destiny  to  be  separated 
so  much,  and  I  am  sorry  that  your  health  is,  or  has  been  so 
bad.  If  you  were  well  you  would  feel  happier.  Try  and  cheer 
up.  It  may  be,  I  think  it  probable,  this  war  will  not  last  longer 
than  this  winter.  I  pray  that  it  may  not.  If  you  go  to  Port 
Gibson  you  will  be  so  glad  to  see  Sis'  that  you  will  feel  less 
our  separation.  I  hear  from  all  sides  of  her  increasing  beauty 
and  intelligence.  I  am  very  proud  of  her,  I  can  tell  you!  We 


In  Virginia.  59 

should  be  proud  of  such  children.  I  hope  my  dear  little  boy  is 
well  again  and  that  he  will  be  a  smart  fellow  and  a  great  man 
some  day.  How  comes  on  that  yard  in  front  of  the  house?  Is  it 
laid  out  right  ?  Is  the  house  finished  ?  I  wish  I  could  fly,  that  I 
might  come  and  spend  the  evenings  with  you  and  give  the  days 
to  my  country !  War  brings  trouble  upon  everybody.  I  am  for- 
tunate in  being  high  in  rank,  for  my  trouble  is  light  compara- 
tively, except  the  uneasiness  of  mind  with  the  cares  of  a  division. 
I  had  a  beautiful  flag  sent  to  me  by  a  lady  of  Alexandria,  now 
exiled  from  her  home.  She  wrote  me  a  pretty  note  and  asked 
me  to  accept  it  and  recapture  her  home.  Her  letter  and  my  reply 
were  published  in  the  papers.  Did  you  see  them?  I  have 
never  seen  her,  but  it  is  said  that  she  is  one  of  the  first  ladies  of 
the  country — Miss  Gary.  The  people  of  Maryland  and  this  part 
of  Virginia  in  the  Army  here  think  well  of  me  for  the  opinions 
I  have  in  regard  to  the  war.  They  correspond  with  theirs. 
Kisses  to  the  boy.  I  wish  I  could  be  with  you."' 

DESCRIPTION  OF  A  GRAND  MILITARY  REVIEW  IN  VIRGINIA. 

CENTREVILLE,  VA.,  December  3. 

The  brilliant  military  display  of  yesterday  shone  out  in  strik- 
ing contrast  against  the  leaden  colored  sky,  which  had  over- 
hung the  camps  near  Centerville  for  several  consecutive  days. 
'Tis  seldom  we  have  a  gala  day.  Camp  life,  in  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  is  without  romance ;  and  one  gets  so  used  to  "  reveille," 
"  roll  calls,"  and  "  tattoo,"  that  a  field  day,  such  as  that  I  witnessed 
on  Monday,  was  the  next  best  thing  to  a  fight.  The  ceremony  was 
a  novel  one ;  arms  were  burnished,  guns  polished,  and  caissons 
subjected  to  a  scrupulous  scrubbing.  Generals,  with  "  stars,"  on 
richly  caparisoned  horses,  galloped  from  point  to  point,  and  as  the 
hour  grew  near,  column  after  column  could  be  seen  crossing  Mc- 
Lean's Ford,  on  Bull  Run,  and  wheeling  into  line  in  the  "  Old 
Fields,"  on  the  southwest  side. 

Riding  over,  soon  after  'breakfast,  to  General  Van  Dorn's 
quarters,  I  met  for  the  first  time  this  youthful  looking  field  mar- 
shal. The  General  is  rather  undersized — of  a  spare  frame,  erect 
and  graceful  in  his  movements ;  his  mustache  is  long  but  light ; 
otherwise  he  is  closely  shaven,  which  is  one  cause  of  his  youth- 
fuul  appearance.  His  uniform  was  a  gray  tunic,  with  buff  collar 


60  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

and  cuffs,  heavy  gold  braiding  on  the  sleeve,  and  three  stars  on 
each  side  of  the  collar,  the  one  in  the  center  the  largest;  as  he 
drew  on  his  buck  gantlets,  I  caught  sight  of  a  cross,  embroidered 
thereon  in  scarlet  silk,  an  ancient  symbol  of  rank.  Business  de- 
spatched, I  took  leave,  mounted  my  horse,  and  joined  in  the 
general  movement  towards  the  rendezvous,  where  the  strange 
ceremony  was  to  be  solemnized  of  presenting  battle  flags  to  a 
dozen  regiments.  Think  of  England  preparing  for  battle  without! 
the  "  Red  Cross  of  St.  George,"  or  France  substituting  anyj 
standard  for  the  Tri-color,  and  then  judge  how  singular  the' 
making  up  of  a  new  flag  to  take  the  place  of  the  one  recently 
adopted  by  our  Congress.  Ask  for  the  reason  of  this  incon- 
sistency— you  have  it  in  the  language  of  General  Beauregard, 
who  recently  stated  that  "  he  never  wished  to  see  the  Stars  and 
Bars  on  another  battle-field."  The  General  is  right ;  he  wants  to 
know,  by  the  colors,  what  column  approaches ;  and  this,  it  may  be 
added,  is  next  to  impossible,  with  the  Confederate  and  U.  S. 
flags  so  similar  in  design  and  color. 

At  twelve  o'clock  a  salute  of  fifteen  guns  announced  the  ar- 
rival of  the  Generals.  The  division  line  had  been  formed  and 
extended  for  nearly  half  a  mile — Bonham's  S.  C.  Brigade  on  the 
right,  Rhodes'  in  the  center,  and  Early's  on  the  left.  Kemper's 
battery  was  near  this  point  on  a  hillside.  First  in  order  was  the 
review.  General  Johnston,  General  Beauregard  and  General 
Van  Dorn,  with  their  adjutants,  rode  abreast,  followed  by  a 
numerous  and  splendid  staff.  In  this  order  they  passed  up  and 
down  the  line,  the  band  playing  spirited  airs.  On  arriving  at  the 
right  of  the  division,  General  Van  Dorn  assumed  command,  and 
at  once  prepared  to  march  in  review  in  front  of  the  Generals, 
who  had  taken  up  a  commanding  position  near  the  center.  The 
column  in  motion  presented  an  imposing  display — the  ground 
was  rolling,  and  as  the  solid  mass  of  bayonets  would  glisten 
above  the  hilltop,  the  scene  was  really  very  inspiriting.  After 
passing,  each  brigade  closed  column  in  mass,  and  formed  three 
sides  of  a  square,  the  open  space  being  occupied  by  the  Generals 
and  their  cortege.  An  impromptu  stand  was  soon  furnished  by 
a  caisson  from  Kemper's  Battery,  upon  which  the  Rev.  E.  Saun- 
ders,  the  Catholic  chaplain  of  one  of  the  Louisiana  regiments, 
took  his  stand,  and  in  a  fervent  manner  blessed  the  banner  "  with 
the  Southern  Cross,"  and  afterwards  addressed  the  troops.  Dur- 


In  Virginia.  61 

ing  this  impressive  ceremony,  every  head  was  uncovered  and 
every  voice  hushed. 

,  Colonel  Jordan,  Adjutant-General  of  the  ist  Corps  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  then  rode  forward  and  made  an  appropriate  ad- 
dress, accompanied  by  Generals  Johnston,  Van  Dorn  and  their 
staffs.  General  Beauregard  then  dismounted,  and  advancing  to 
the  center  of  the  square,  was  met  by  the  colonels  of  the  several 
regiments,  and  in  heartfelt  utterance  delivered  to  each  regiment 
its  sacred  trust.  All  of  the  officers,  on  receiving  the  "  Southern 
Cross,"  made  their  acknowledgments  in  patriotic  pledges  to  do 
their  duty.  The  bands  then  played  the  familiar  air  from  the* 
opera  of  /  Puritani,  to  which  music  some  soul-stirring  lines,  sug- 
gestive of  the  rescue  of  Maryland,  had  been  written  by  J.  R. 
Randall,  a  young  poet  of  New  Orleans,  whose  fugitive  verses 
have  already  attracted  much  attention.  Printed  copies  of  these 
verses  were  distributed  among  the  several  regiments.  The  parade 
was  then  dismissed,  and  a  large  party  accompanied  General  Van 
Dorn  to  his  quarters,  where,  around  his  hospitable  board,  the 
dangers  of  the  field  were  forgotten  for  a  time,  giving  place  to 
"  the  feast  of  reason  and  the  flow  of  soul." 

Altogether,  it  was  one  of  the  most  imposing  military  spectacles 
I  have  ever  seen.  I  have  spoken  of  General  Van  Dorn's  personal 
appearance ;  and  this  reminds  me  that  whenever  I  see  General 
Beauregard,  who,  by  the  way,  is  getting  a  little  frosted,  I  am 
struck  with  his  look,  as  of  one  thinking  over  some  matter  of 
moment;  he  has  not  less  of  the  military  air,  however,  although 
he  does  not  look  so  entirely  military  as  General  Joe  Johnston.  I 
noticed  the  latter,  particularly,  on  Monday;  his  upright  position, 
military  beard  and  mustache,  just  grisly  enough  to  look  bel- 
ligerent; his  kepi,  with  the  strap  resting  jauntily  on  his  heavy 
mustache,  his  bright  eyes,  and  strong  frame,  impress  you  with 
an  idea  of  action — just  such  a  figure  as,  if  seen  on  a  battle-field, 
would  suggest  the  idea,  "  At  your  service,  sir !  Which  column 
shall  I  lead?"  KIAWAH. 


62  A  Soldier's  Honor. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

ARKANSAS  CAMPAIGN. 

AFTER  the  battle  of  Manassas  there  was  a  lull  in  military 
movements  in  Virginia,  the  Southern  army  resting  on  its  de- 
fensive attitude,  and  the  Northern  army,  after  a  rest,  preparing 
to  spring  upon  its  prey  with  renewed  energy.  But  in  Missouri 
and  Arkansas,  where  General  Price  was  being  threatened  with 
an  attack  by  General  Curtis,  matters  were  not  so  quiet,  and  Gen- 
eral Van  Dorn  was  ordered  to  go  to  the  assistance  of  General 
Price,  and  was  given  command  of  Missouri,  Arkansas,  the  Indian 
Territory  west  of  Arkansas,  and  Louisiana  as  far  south  as  Red 
River,  with  authority  to  recruit  his  forces  in  Texas.  The  follow- 
ing letter  was  written  on  his  way  to  the  Trans-Mississippi  depart- 
ment: 

LETTER  TO  HIS  WIFE. 

"KNOXVILLE,  TENNESSEE,  January  18,  1862. 

"  I  am  here  on  my  way  to  Missouri,  where  I  have  been  ordered 
to  take  command.  I  have  Louisiana,  as  far  south  as  Red  River, 
Arkansas,  the  Indian  country  west  of  Arkansas,  and  the  State 
of  Missouri  for  my  district.  A  large  command.  I  am  also  au- 
thorized to  call  on  the  State  of  Texas  for  troops.  It  was  my  hope 
that  I  could  go  by  to  see  you  when  I  heard  of  the  rumor  that  I 
would  be  ordered  there,  but  the  President  and  Secretary  of  War 
told  me  to  hurry  off  and  get  at  the  head  of  affairs  in  Missouri  as 
quick  as  possible,  as  great  events  were  hanging  on  the  times. 
My  headquarters  will,  I  think,  be  at  a  point  on  White  River  in 
Arkansas,  near  the  Missouri  line,  but  direct  your  letters  to  me  at 
Napoleon,  Arkansas,  care  of  C.  S.  Agent  for  the  Army.  I  have 
but  a  moment  to  write,  as  I  must  be  ready  to  go  off  with  the 


Arkansas  Campaign.  63 

train  to  Nashville  and  thence  to  Bowling  Green  to  see  General 
Johnston.  If  you  go  to  Port  Gibson,  I  will  send  you  regularly 
a  hundred  dollars  a  month,  which  will,  I  think,  keep  you  going ; 
if  not,  I  must  manage  to  send  more,  if  possible.  You  must  come 
by  Jackson,  Miss.  I  am  now  '  in  for  it/  as  the  saying  is — to 
make  a  reputation  and  serve  my  country  conspicuously  or  to  fail. 
I  must  not,  shall  not,  do  the  latter.  I  must  have  St.  Louis — 
then  Huzza. !  Kiss  my  little  boy,  God  bless  him !  " 

GENERAL  VAN  DORN's  REPORT  OF  THE  CAMPAIGN  IN  ARKANSAS. 

"  HEADQUARTERS  TRANS-MISSISSIPPI  DISTRICT, 

"  JACKSONPORT,  ARK.,  March  27,  1862. 

"  COLONEL  : — I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  while  at  Poca- 
hontas,  I  received  despatches  on  the  22d  of  February,  informing 
me  that  General  Price  had  rapidly  fallen  back  from  Springfield, 
before  a  superior  force  of  the  enemy,  and  was  endeavoring  to 
form  a  junction  with  the  division  of  General  McCulloch,  in 
Boston  Mountains. 

"  For  reasons  which  seemed  to  me  imperative,  I  resolved  to  go 
in  person  and  take  command  of  the  combined  forces  of  Price  and 
McCulloch.  I  reached  their  headquarters  on  the  3d  of  March, 
and  being  satisfied  that  the  enemy,  who  had  halted  on  Sugar 
Creek,  fifty-five  miles  distant,  was  only  awaiting  large  reinforce- 
ments before  he  would  advance,  I  resolved  to  attack  him  at  once. 
Accordingly,  I  sent  for  General  Pike  to  join  me  with  the  forces 
under  his  command,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  4th  of  March, 
moved  with  the  divisions  of  Price  and  McCulloch,  by  way  of 
Fayetteville  and  Bentonville,  to  attack  the  enemy's  main  camp  on 
Sugar  Creek.  The  whole  force  under  my  command  was  about 
16,000. 

"  On  the  6th  we  left  Elm  Spring  for  Bentonville,  and  from 
prisoners  captured  by  our  scouting  parties  on  the  5th,  I  became 
convinced  that  up  to  that  time  no  suspicion  was  entertained  of 
our  advance,  and  that  there  were  strong  hopes  of  our  effecting 
a  complete  surprise  and  attacking  the  enemy  before  the  large 
detachments  encamped  at  various  points  in  the  surrounding 
country  could  rejoin  the  main  body.  I  therefore  endeavored  to 
reach  Bentonville,  eleven  miles  distant,  by  a  rapid  march;  but 


64  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

the  troops  moved  so  very  slowly  that  it  was  1 1  A.  M.,  before  the 
head  of  the  leading  division  (Price's)  reached  the  village,  and  we 
had  the  mortification  to  see  Siegl's  division,  7,000  strong,  leaving 
it  as  we  entered.  Had  we  been  one  hour  sooner,  we  should  have 
cut  him  off  with  his  whole  force,  and  certainly  have  beaten  the 
enemy  next  day. 

"  W-e  followed  him,  our  advance  skirmishing  with  his  rear 
guard,  which  was  admirably  handled,  until  we  had  gained  a  point 
on  Sugar  Creek,  about  seven  mies  beyond  Bentonville,  and  within 
one  or  two  miles  of  the  strongly  intrenched  camp  of  the  enemy. 

"  In  conference  with  Generals  McCulloch  and  Mclntosh,  who 
had  accurate  knowledge  of  this  locality,  I  had  ascertained  that  by 
making  a  detour  of  eight  miles  I  could  reach  the  telegraph  road 
leading  from  Springfield  to  Fayetteville,  and  be  immediately  in 
rear  of  the  enemy  and  his  intrenchments. 

"  I  had  resolved  to  adopt  this  route,  and  therefore  halted  the 
head  of  the  column  near  the  point  where  the  road  by  which  I  pro- 
posed to  move  diverges,  threw  out  my  pickets  and  bivouacked  as 
if  for  the  night ;  but  soon  after  dark  I  marched  again,  moving 
with  Price's  division  in  advance,  and  taking  the  road  by  which 
I  hoped  before  daylight  to  reach  the  rear  of  the  enemy. 

"  Some  obstructions  which  he  had  hastily  thrown  in  the  way  so 
impeded  our  march  that  we  did  not  gain  the  telegraph  road  until 
near  10  o'clock  A.  M.  of  the  7th. 

"  From  prisoners  with  forage  wagons,  whom  our  cavalry 
pickets  brought  in,  we  .were  assured  that  we  were  not  expected  in 
that  quarter,  and  that  the  promise  was  fair  for  a  complete  sur- 
prise. 

"  I  at  once  made  dispositions  for  attack,  and  directing  General 
Price  to  move  forward  cautiously,  soon  drew  the  fire  of  a  few 
skirmishers,  who  were  rapidly  reinforced,  so  that  before  n  o'clock 
we  were  fairly  engaged,  the  enemy  holding  very  good  positions 
and  maintaining  a  heavy  fire  of  artillery  and  small  arms  upon  the 
constantly  advancing  columns  which  were  being  pressed  upon 
him. 

"I  had  directed  General  McCulloch  to  attack  with  his  forces  the 
enemy's  left,  and  before  10  o'clock  it  was  evident  that  if  his  di- 
vision could  advance,  or  even  maintain  its  ground,  I  could  at 
once  throw  forward  Price's  left,  advance  his  whole  line,  and  end 
the  battle.  I  sent  him  a  despatch  to  this  effect,  but  it  was  never 


Arkansas  Campaign.  65 

received  by  him.  Before  it  was  penned  his  brave  spirit  had 
winged  its  flight,  and  one  of  the  most  gallant  leaders  of  the  Con- 
federacy had  fought  his  last  battle. 

"  About  3  P.  M.  I  received  by  aide-de-camp  the  information 
that  Generals  McCulloch  and  Mclntosh,  and  Colonel  Hebert, 
were  killed,  and  that  the  'division  was  without  any  head.  I  never- 
theless pressed  forward  with  the  attack,  and  at  sunset  the  enemy 
was  flying  before  our  victorious  troops  at  every  point  in  our  front, 
and  when  night  fell  we  had  driven  him  entirely  from  the  field  of 
battle.  Our  troops  slept  upon  their  arms  nearly  a  mile  beyond  the 
point  at  which  he  made  his  last  stand,  and  my  headquarters  for 
the  night  were  at  the  Elkhorn  Tavern.  We  had  taken  during  the 
"day  seven  cannon  and  about  two  hundred  prisoners. 

"  In  the  course  of  the  night  I  ascertained  that  the  ammunition 
was  almost  exhausted,  and  that  the  officer  in  charge  of  the  ord- 
nance supplies  could  not  find  his  wagons,  which  with  the  subsist- 
ence train,  had  been  sent  to  Bentonville.  Most  of  the  troops 
had  been  without  any  food  since  the  morning  of  the  6th,  and  the 
artillery  horses  were  beaten  out.  It  was,  therefore,  with  no  little 
anxiety  that  I  waited  the  dawn  of  day.  When  it  came,  it  revealed 
to  me  the  enemy  in  a  new  and  strong  position,  offering  battle. 
I  made  my  dispositions  at  once  to  accept  the  gage,  and  by  7  o'clock 
the  cannonading  was  as  heavy  as  that  of  the  previous  day. 

"  On  the  side  of  the  enemy  the  fire  was  much  better  sustained, 
for  being  freed  from  the  attack  of  my  right  wing,  he  could  now 
concentrate  his  whole  artillery.  Finding  that  my  right  wing 
was  much  disorganized,  and  that  the  batteries  were,  one  after 
the  other,  retiring  from  the  field  with  every  shot  expended,  I 
resolved  to  withdraw  the  army,  and  at  once  placed  the  ambu- 
lances, with  all  of  the  wounded  they  would  bear,  upon  the  Hunts- 
yille  road,  and  a  portion  of  McCulloch's  division,  which  had 
joined  me  during  the  night,  in  position  to  follow,  while  I  so  dis- 
posed of  my  remaining  forces  as  best  to  deceive  the  enemy  as  to 
my  intention,  and  to  hold  him  in  check  while  executing  it. 

"  About  10  o'clock  I  gave  the  order  for  the  column  to  march, 
and  soon  afterwards  for  the  troops  engaged  to  fall  back  and  cover 
the  rear  of  the  army.  This  was  done  very  steadily;  no  attempt 
was  made  by  the  enemy  to  follow  us,  and  we  encamped,  about 
3  o'clock  P.  M.,  about  ten  miles  from  the  field  of  battle.  Some 
and  the  batteries  of  artillery  which  returned  by  different  routes 
5 


66  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

demonstrations  were  made  by  his  cavalry  upon  my  baggage  train 
from  that  taken  by  the  army,  but  they  were  instantly  checked, 
and,  thanks  to  the  skill  and  courage  of  Colonel  Stone  and  Major 
Wade,  all  of  the  baggage  and  artillery  joined  the  army  in  safety. 

So  far  as  I  can  ascertain,  our  losses  amount  to  about  six  hun- 
hundred  prisoners,  and  one  cannon,  which,  having  become  dis- 
abled, I  ordered  to  be  thrown  into  a  ravine. 

"  The  best  information  I  can  procure  of  the  enemy's  loss  places 
his  killed  at  more  than  seven  hundred,  with  at  least  an  equal 
number  wounded.  We  captured  about  three  hundred  prisoners ; 
so  that  his  total  loss  is  near  about  two  thousand.  We  brought 
away  four  cannon  and  ten  baggage  wagons,  and  we  burnt  upon 
the  field  three  cannon  taken  by  Mclntosh  in  his  brilliant  charge. 
The  horses  having  been  killed,  these  guns  could  not  be  brought 
away. 

"  The  force  with  which  I  went  into  action  was  less  than  14,000 
men;  that  of  the  enemy  is  variously  estimated  at  from  17,000 
to  24,000. 

"  During  the  whole  of  this  engagement  I  was  with  the  Missouri 
division  under  Price,  and  I  have  never  seen  better  fighters  than 
those  Missouri  troops,  or  more  gallant  leaders  than  General  Price 
and  his  officers.  From  the  first  to  the  last  shot  they  continually 
pushed  on,  and  never  yielded  an  inch  they  had  won;  and 
when  at  last  they  received  the  orders  to  fall  back,  they  re- 
tired steadily  and  with  cheers.  General  Price  received  a  severe 
wound  early  in  the  action,  but  would  neither  retire  from  the 
field  nor  cease  to  expose  himself  to  danger. 

"  No  successes  can  repair  the  loss  of  the  gallant  dead  who  fell 
on  this  well-fought  field.  McCulloch  was  the  first  to  fall.  I 
had  found  him  in  the  frequent  conferences  I  had  with  him  a 
sagacious,  prudent  counselor,  and  a  bolder  soldier  never  died  for 
his  country. 

"  Mclntosh  had  been  very  much  distinguished  all  through  the 
operations  which  have  taken  place  in  this  region;  and  during 
my  advance  from  Boston  Mountain  I  placed  him  in  command 
of  the  cavalry  brigade  and  in  charge  of  the  pickets.  He  was 
alert,  daring,  and  devoted  to  his  duty.  His  kindness  of  disposi- 
tion, with  his  reckness  bravery,  had  attached  the  troops  strongly 
to  him;  so  that  after  McCulloch  fell,  had  he  remained  to  lead 
them,  all  would  have  been  well  with  my  right  wing;  but  after 


Arkansas  Campaign.  67 

leading  a  brillant  charge  of  cavalry,  and  carrying  the  enemy's 
battery,  he  rushed  into  the  thick  of  the  fight  again  at  the  head 
of  his  old  regiment,  and  was  shot  through  the  heart.  The  value 
of  these  two  officers  was  but  proven  by  the  effect  of  their  fall 
upon  the  troops.  So  long  as  brave  deeds  are  admired  by  our 
people,  the  names  of  McCulloch  and  Mclntosh  will  be  remem- 
bered and  loved. 

"  General  Slack,  after  gallantly  maintaining  a  continued  and 
successful  attack,  was  shot  through  the  body.  But  I  hope  his  dis- 
tinguished services  will  be  restored  to  his  country.  A  noble 
boy,  Churchill  Clarke,  commanded  a  battery  of  artillery,  and 
during  the  fierce  artillery  actions  of  the  7th  and  8th,  was  con- 
spicuous for  the  daring  and  skill  which  he  exhibited.  He  fell 
at  the  very  close  of  the  action.  Colonel  Rives  fell  mortally 
wounded  about  the  same  time,  and  was  a  great  loss  to  us.  On  a 
field  where  were  many  gallant  gentlemen,  I  remembered  him  as 
one  of  the  most  energetic  and  devoted  of  them  all. 

"  To  Col.  Henry  Little  my  especial  thanks  are  due  for  the  cool- 
!ness,  skill  and  devotion  with  which  for  two  days  he  and  his 
gallant  brigade  bore  the  brunt  of  the  battle.  Col.  Burbridge, 
Col.  Rosser,  Col.  Gatts,  Major,  Lawther,  Major  Wade,  Capt. 
McDonald,  and  Capt.  Schaumberg  are  some  of  those  who  attract- 
ed my  especially  attention  by  their  distinguished  conduct. 

"  In  McCulloch's  division  the  Louisiana  regiment  under  Col. 
Louis  Hebert,  and  the  Arkansas  Regiment  under  Col.  McRae, 
are  especially  mentioned  for  their  good  conduct.  Maj.  Mont- 
gomery, Capt.  Bradfute,  Lieut.  Lomax,  Kimmel,  Dillon,  and 
Frank  Armstrong,  A.  A.  G.,  wsre  ever  active  and  soldierly. 
After  their  services  were  no  longer  required  with  their  own  divi- 
sion, they  joined  my  staff,  and  I  am  much  indebted  to  them  for 
the  efficient  aid  they  gave  me  during  the  engagement  of  the  8th. 
They  are  meritorious  officers,  whose  value  is  lost  to  the  service 
by  their  not  receiving  rank  more  accordant  with  their  merit  and 
experience  than  th^.t  they  now  hold. 

"  Being  without  my  proper  staff,  I  was  much  gratified  by  the 
offer  of  Col.  Shands  and  Capt.  Barrett,  of  the  Missouri  army, 
of  their  services  as  aids.  They  were  of  very  great  assistance  to 
me  by  the  courage  and  intelligence  with  which  they  bore  my 
orders ;  also,  Col.  Lewis,  of  Missouri. 

"  None  of  the  gentlemen  of  my  personal  staff,  with  the  excep- 


68  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

tion  of  Col.  Maury,  A.  A.  G.,  and  Lieut.  C.  Sulivane,  my  aide- 
de-camp,  accompanied  me  from  Jacksonport,  the  others  having 
left  on  special  duty.  Col.  Maury  was  of  invaluable  service  to  me 
both  in  preparing  for  and  during  the  battle.  There,  as  on  the 
other  battle-fields  where  I  have  served  with  him,  he  proved  to  be 
a  zealous  patriot  and  true  soldier.  Cool  and  calm  under  all  cir- 
cumstances, he  was  always  ready,  either  with  his  sword  or  his 
pen.  His  services  and  Lieut.  Sulivane's  are  distinguished ;  the 
latter  had  his  horse  killed  under  him  while  leading  a  charge!,  the 
order  for  which  he  had  just  delivered. 

"  You  will  perceive  from  this  report,  Colonel,  that  although  I 
did  not,  as  I  hoped,  capture  or  destroy  the  enemy's  army  in 
Western  Arkansas,  I  have  inflicted  upon  it  a  heavy  blow,  and 
compelled  him  to  fall  back  into  Missouri;  this  he  did  about  the 
1 6th  inst. 

"  For  further  details  concerning  the  action,  and  for  more  par- 
ticular notices  of  the  troops  engaged,  I  refer  you  to  the  reports 
of  the  subordinate  officers,  which  accompany  this  report. 
"  Very  respectfully,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN,  Major-General. 
"  Col.  W.  W.  Mackall,  A.  A.  G." 


NEWSPAPER  ACCOUNTS  OF  THE  SITUATION  IN  ARKANSAS. 

The  report  of  General  Curtis,  claiming  a  decisive  victory  in  his 
battle  with  the  Confederate  forces,  is  another  illustration  of  the 
chronic  deceit  which  afflicts  the  Federal  officers  in  their  accounts 
of  their  campaigns  and  engagements.  Were  it  not  for  some 
glaring  contradictions,  and  a  lurking  diffidence  of  even  his  own 
statements,  the  reader  might  imagine  that  the  Confederates  had 
suffered  a  total  overthrow,  and  that  General  Curtis  was  preparing 
to  resume  a  triumphant  march  through  a  conquered  and  sup- 
pliant country.  Yet  there  are  evidences  in  his  report  that  he  was 
surprised  by  an  attack  from  an  enemy  whom  he  had  considered 
demoralized  and  subdued  and  that  nothing  was  more  unexpect- 
ed by  him  than  a  battle  with  an  army  which  he  had  pursued  for 
days  from  Springfield  to  the  Boston  Mountains. 

Gen.  Van  Dorn's  report,  while  it  does  not  claim  a  victory,  does 


Arkansas  Campaign.  69 

not  confess  a  defeat.  Neither  does  it  contain  anything  to  con- 
firm Curtis's  assertion  that  the  Confederate  army  scattered  in  all 
directions.  On  the  contrary,  Gen.  Van  Dorn  distinctly  informs 
us  that  he  drew  off  his  forces  in  good  order  under  cover  of  an 
engagement  undertaken  by  him  for  the  purpose  of  effecting  this 
very  movement.  Indeed,  it  is  not  at  all  probable  that  Gen.  Van 
Dorn,  in  making  his  first  attack  on  Curtis's  army,  anticipated  a 
victory  on  the  field.  With  14,000  men  he  could  not  expect  to 
capture  30,000  splendidly  equipped  troops,  or  even  to  inflict  upon 
them  any  decisive  defeat.  But  he  could  reasonably  hope  to  em- 
barrass the  enemy  by  menancing  his  communications ;  by  forcing 
him  to  fight  at  unforeseen  time  and  place,  and  above  all,  by  en- 
cumbering him  with  wounded.  Annoyances  of  this  kind  inflicted 
on  an  invadnig-  army,  seeking  to  overrun  a  country  destitute 
of  supplies  and  wanting  in  facilities  for  transportation,  are  as 
disastrous  as  a  defeat  in  the  open  field.  These  were  probably  Gen. 
Van  Dorn's  reasons  for  attacking  Curtis  immediately  on  assum- 
ing command  of  the  army.  At  all  events  we  shall  soon  know 
whether  our  surmises  are  well  founded ;  as  Gen.  Van  Dorn,  in 
his  report,  promises  to  give  an  explanation  of  his  movements. 
In  the  meantime  we  have  no  fears  for  the  results  of  his  campaign 
against  Curtis.  We  have  unlimited  confidence  in  his  skill,  cour- 
age, enterprise  and  caution,  and  we  are  confident  that  he  will 
manifest  these  qualities  in  a  manner  so  effective  as  to  bring  his 
operations  to  a  successful  conclusion,  and  to  force  the  expulsion 
of  Curtis's  army  from  the  country  it  has  invaded. 

THE  FIGHTING  IN  ARKANSAS. 

The  perplexing  rumors  we  have  had  for  four  or  five  days  in 
reference  to  a  victory  obtained  by  Gen.  Price  are  doubtless  ex- 
plained, if  they  are  not  fully  confirmed,  by  the  despatch  which 
we  publish  from  Fort  Smith,  Arkansas.  But  whether  the 
rumors  in  question  were  or  were  not  founded  upon  the)  intel- 
ligence contained  in  this  despatch,  it  cannot  be  doubted  that  one 
of  the  fiercest  and  bloodiest  engagements  of  the  war  has  been 
fought  by  the  Confederate  forces  under  Generals  Van  Dorn  and 
Price,  and  the  Federal  army  of  Gen.  Curtis.  Extending  through 
three  days,  attended  by  the  killing  of  Generals  McCulloch  and 
Mclntosh,  and  the  fall  of  Gen.  Slack  mortally  wounded,  we  can 


70  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

well  conceive  that  the  Confederate  loss  was  Heavy,  and  that  the 
Federal  loss  was  at  least  of  corresponding  magnitude. 

We  can  only  infer  the  positions  of  the  two  armies  toward  each 
other,  as  regards  advantage  or  reverse  resulting  from  the  engage- 
ment, from  their  relations  to  each  other  at  the  moment  to  which 
the  dispatch  brings  the  account  of  their  movements.  According 
to  this  account  the  Confederate  army  was  in  the  rear  of  the  Fed- 
eral army,  driving  it  southward,  and  confident  of  success.  For 
one  army  to  be  in  the  rear  of  the  other,  is  a  very  significant  cir- 
cumstance. But  the  significance  'depends  greatly  upon  how  the 
army  in  the  rear  got  there.  In  military  parlance,  the  rear  of  an 
advancing  army  is  its  line  of  communication  with  the  base  from 
which  it  derives  its  supplies,  and  to  which  it  expects  to  fall  back 
for  safety  in  the  event  of  defeat.  If  it  be  cut  off  from  that  base 
by  an  army  which  is  too  powerful  to  be  successfully  encountered, 
or  which  has  been  victorious  in  a  battle,  its  situation  is  obviously 
hopeless.  It  must  either  surrender  or  be  cut  to  pieces. 

We  have  no  reason  to  suppose  that  the  army  of  Generals  Van 
Dorn  and  Price  did  not  get  in  the  rear  of  the  enemy  by  design 
— that  the  position  was  not  the  result  of  a  maneuver  intro- 
ductory to  the  engagement,  or  the  result  of  advantages  gained 
in  the  engagement.  But  we  have  little  doubt  that  Van  Dorn  and 
Price  forced  the  enemy  to  fight  in  order  to  open  his  communi- 
cations. It  would  seem  that  they  placed  him  in  a  situation  where 
it  was  too  late  for  him  to  consider  whether  he  would  fight  or 
retreat,  and  where  he  had  no  choice  but  to  fight,  even  if  he  wished 
to  retreat,  in  order  to  gain  a  road  by  which  he  could  retreat. 
He  did  fight,  it  appears,  but  he  failed  to  gain  such  a  road  On  the 
contrary,  the  despatch  from  Fort  Smith  represents  him  as  being 
driven  southward,  after  the  engagement  before  the  army  of  Gen- 
erals Van  Dorn  and  Price.  Not  to  succeed  in  an  engagement 
under  the  circumstances  described,  was  itself  a  disaster.  To  be 
flying  before  the  Confederate  army  in  his  rear  would  indicate 
that  he  was  on  the  road  to  irretrievable  discomfiture. 

LETTER  TO  HIS   WIFE. 

"  DES  ARC,  ARKANSAS,  April  6,  1862. 

"  Please  pardon  me  for  not  writing  for  so  long  a  time.  If  you 
could  imagine  even  the  trouble  of  mind  and  body  I  have  to  un- 
dergo constantly  I  know  that  you  could  not  wonder  that  I  do  not 


Arkansas  Campaigne.  71 

write  often.  I  have  had  to  command  an  army  almost  disor- 
ganized and  without  discipline,  staff  departments  defective,  and 
supplies  deficient,  the  enemy  near  and  threatening,  and  with  all 
this  I  have  been  suffering  with  chills  and  fevers  again,  as  I  did 
in  Texas.  I  rode  on  horseback  from  Jacksonport  to  Boston  Moun- 
tains, about  two  hundred  miles,  fifty  miles  a  day,  and  thence 
marched  the  army  to  Elkhorn,  sixty  miles,  fought  the  enemy  and 
returned  to  Van  Buren,  more  than  a  hundred  miles ;  all  this  time 
I  was  sick.  I  was  even  hauled  in  an  ambulance  to  the  battle- 
field. I  am  continually  beset  by  all  sorts  of  people  for  position, 
place,  promotion,  contracts,  adjustment  of  difficulties,  etc.,  and 
I  cannot  go  out  of  my  room  that  I  am  not  stopped  and  pulled 
at  until  I  am  getting  as  .short  and  crabbed  as  though  I  had  never 
been  a  good-natured  man.  I  sometimes  wish  that  I  could  fly 
to  some  wilderness  and  give  up  the  world  and  its  cares.  But  as 
long  as  our  contry  needs  my  services  they  are  hers,  even  to  my 
life.  I  expect  to  grow  gray  before  the  war  is  over.  I  never 
knew  what  care  was  before.  I  am  here  preparing  to  move  the 
army  to  join  Generals  Johnston  and  Beauregard  in  Tennessee — 
or  rather  in  Mississippi,  for  they  are  at  Corinth.  I  carry  with 
me  about  25,000  men  and  about  eight  pieces  of  artillery.  With 
the  addition  to  them  we  hope  to  drive  the  enemy  not  only  out  of 
Tennessee,  but  out  of  Kentucky,  and  attack  Cincinnati.  Then 
huzza,  for  the  Southern  Confederacy!  I  will  probably  get  off 
about  the  I2th  or  I4th  of  this  month ;  the  troops  are  already 
moving  in  boats  as  fast  as  they  can  be  transported.  I  sent  Clem 
to  Richmond  the  other  day  with  my  report  of  the  battle  of  Elk- 
horn  and  gave  him  a  letter  to  the  President  informing  him  of 
Clem's  gallantry  on  the  battle-field,  and  requested  him  to  promote 
him  to  the  regular  army.  I  have  no  doubt  but  that  he  will  do  so. 
Clem  will  rejoin  me  at  Memphis.  I  was  at  Corinth  the  other 
night  to  consult  with  Generals  Johnston  and  Beauregard.  I  ar- 
rived there  at  10  o'clock  at  night  and  left  at  1 130  same  night.  I 
have  been  on  the  go  ever  since  my  arrival  in  command  of  this  Dis- 
trict, and  being  sick  a  great  deal,  I  am  a  little  worn  out.  You  must 
pardon  me  for  not  writing  as  often  as  I  have  thought  of  you  and 
in  proportion  to  my  love  for  you  and  my  dear  children,  and  my 
sisters  who  are  so  kind  to  you.  God  bless  you  all.  I  hope  you 
will  meet  with  no  harm  or  unhappiness  until  I  can  rejoin  you. 
This  is  a  terrible  war,  but  we  must  see  it  through,  and  have  our 


72  A  Soldier's  Honor 

country  come  out  of  the  struggle  with  honor  and  independence. 
If  we  do  not  I  must  look  for  a  home  in  some  other  climate — 
South  America  or  Mexico.  But  I  look  for  better  results  and 
they  shall  be  ours.  I  long  to  see  you  and  my  dear  sweet  daugh- 
ter, and  my  boy ;  but  this  longing  is  but  a  part  of  the  troubles  of 
the  war,  and  I  must  not  think  of  it.  Be  patient  and  watchful — 
see  to  our  children's  education  and  good  breeding ;  let  these  be 
your  cares.  I  will  try  to  write,  but  you  must  be  indulgent,  for  I 
have  but  little  time  of  my  own.  You  will  even  see  in  this  letter 
how  hurried  I  am  to  get  you  a  letter  before  I  am  called  off.  Be 
assured  though  that  I  often,  often  think  of  you  and  love  you  con- 
tinually. When  you  write  direct  your  letters  to  Memphis,  to 
the  care  of  the  Quartermaster  there. 

"  I  sent  you  some  eight  or  ten  days  since  two  hundred  dollars, 
also  the  same  amount  to  Olivia.  I  hope  you  have  received  the 
money  safely.  I  am  glad  you  brought  Frank  with  you. 

"  Tell  my  Libbie  to  write  to  me  every  week.  I  love  her  so  much 
that  I  would  like  to  hear  from  her  every  day.  Send  me  hers 
and  the  boy's  likenesses  again,  with  yours.  I  would  like  to  have 
my  sister's  too.  Ask  them  to  send  them  to  me.  They  will  be  a 
comfort  to  me.  Remember  me  to  all  my  friends  at  Port  Gibson. 
I  send  you  and  the  children  a  thousand  kisses,  and  best  wishes 
for  your  welfare  and  happiness." 

AN    INCIDENT    CONNECTED    WITH    THE    CAMPAIGN    IN    ARKANSAS. 

"  A  few  incidents  or  anecdotes  occur  to  me.  General  Van 
Dorn  was  so  uniformly  gentle  yet  animated  in  his  manner  that 
I  never  knew  one  to  have  passed  a  half-hour  in  his  company 
without,  so  to  speak,  falling  in  love  with  him.  Of  course  his 
regular,  handsome  features,  waving  light  brown  hair  and  bright 
blue  eyes  contributed  to  this,  as  well  as  his  wide-spread  reputa- 
tion for  dauntless  personal  courage,  so  in  contrast  with  his  ex- 
treme gentleness  of  voice  and  expression.  Alcibiades,  the  Athe- 
nian, was  among  the  heroes  of  the  past  his  favorite  ideal  of  the 
gentleman,  the  scholar  and  the  soldier.  He  had  a  great  deal  of 
romanticism  in  his  character,  was  fond  of  repeating  fine  poetry, 
and  he  had  no  little  artistic  talent.  In  battle,  on  the  other  hand, 
he  was  the  very  incarnation  of  energy  of  action  and  loftiness  of 
soul.  His  eyes  would  seem  to  flash  fire  like  sparks  from  blue 


Arkansas  Campaign.  73 

steel,  and  his  whole  person  appear  to  enlarge,  and  radiate  cour- 
age all  about  him. 

"  During  our  two  months'  sojourn  near  Manassas,  where  I  first 
joined  him,  I  saw  but  one  side  of  his  character.  We  had  nothing 
whatever  to  do,  but  remained  idle  in  our  camp  as  the  enemy  did 
in  theirs,  and  the  time  was  mainly  spent  in  a  round  of  visiting 
from  one  General's  quarters  to  anothet.  And  it  was  only  after 
he  had  been  ordered  in  early  January,  1862  to  cross  the  Missis- 
sippi River,  and  assume  command  there  that  the  real  energy  of 
his  character  was  presented  to  me. 

"  Going  to  Jacksonport,  Arkansas,  on  the  White  River,  he  began 
to  make  the  most  active  preparations  for  the  assembling  of  the 
trans-Mississippi  troops  at  that  point,  preparatory  to  a  campaign 
up  the  west  bank  of  the  Mississippi  River  on  St.  Louis,  when  one 
day  in  February  he  received  letters  from  both  Gen.  McCulloch 
and  Gen.  Price,  then  in  camp  in  the  extreme  northwestern  corner 
of  the  State,  that  Gen.  Curtis  with  the  main  United  States  Army 
in  Missouri  was  in  their  immediate  front,  -that  a  good  oppor- 
tunity was  presented  to  attack  him,  but  Price  would  not  obey  Mc- 
Culloch and  the  latter  would  not  obey  Price,  and  both  urging 
him  to  come  to  them  at  once,  and  taking  command,  to  move 
against  Curtis. 

"  The  very  next  morning  he  set  out  on  horseback  to  ride  the 
whole  width  of  the  State  of  Arkansas,  taking  with  him  Col.  Dab- 
ney  Maury,  myself,  a  courier  and  Milton  (his  body  servant), 
and  arrived  at  Van  Buren,  but  six  miles  from  the  Indian  Nation, 
a  distance  of  two  hundred  miles  from  Jacksonport,  at  noon  on 
the  fourth  or  fifth  day  (I  am  not  sure  now  which,  but  it  was  a 
remarkable  ride  for  a  general  officer  no  matter  which  it  was). 
And  on  the  night  of  the  following  day  we  rode  into  Gen.  Price's 
camp,  over  forty  miles  north  of  us,  and  on  the  very  next  morning, 
the  now  united  army  moved  against  Curtis. 

"  On  our  way  across  Arkansas,  we  were  obliged  late  in  the 
evening  of  the  second  day  out  to  cross  the  Little  Red  River — the 
horses  by  swimming  and  we  one  by  one  in  a  light  caone,  the  river 
being  so  swollen  by  rains  that  the  usual  ford  was  impassable — and 
the  General,  going  over  first,  was  upset  in  the  river  about  ten 
yards  from  where  he  left  us  on  the  eastern  bank.  Seeing  me 
hastily  throwing  off  my  cloak,  sword  and  boots  to  swim  to  his 
assistance,  for  I  thought  he  would  surely  need  it,  encumbered  as 


74  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

he  was  with  not  only  heavy  clothing  but  heavy  military  boots, 
heavy  cloak,  sword  and  spurs,  he  called  to  me  to  stay  ashore,  and 
all  accoutered  as  he  was  swam  to  the  bank — a  feat  which  only  an 
unusually  vigorous  and  strong  man  could  have  accomplished,  espe 
daily  considering  the  powerful  current  of  the  deep  and  swollen 
river.  As  he  emerged,  dripping  from  the  stream  and  stood  on 
the  bank,  he  smilingly  quoted  to  me  the  words  of  Cassius : 

"  Once  upon  a  raw  and  gusty  day 

The  troubled  Tiber  chafed  •within  her  shores  : 
Accoutered  as  I  was,  I  plunged  in, 
The  torrent  roared,  and  I  did  buffet  it 
With  lusty  sinews." 

"  It  was  night  when  we  at  last  all  got  over  and  we  passed  the 
night  in  the  humble  residence  of  our  ferryman.  In  consequence 
of  his  immersion,  the  General  contracted  a  heavy  chill  and  fever, 
which  lasted  him  to  Van  Buren  and  beyond,  but  at  the  end  of 
the  first  day  out  from  the  Red  River  he  secured  an  ambulance 
and  he  and  Maury  rode  in  it  the  remainder  of  the  way  to  said 
town. 

"  The  battle  of  Pea  Ridge,  or  Elk  Horn  Tavern,  which  imme- 
diately followed  (the  6th,  7th  and  8th  of  March,  1862),  was 
admirably  planned  and  executed.  Both  wings  of  our  army  were 
successful  after  having  marched  clear  around  the  enemy,  so  that 
they  had  no  possible  means  of  escape,  and  their  entire  army  must 
have  fallen  into  our  hands,  thus  leaving  us  an  unobstructed  march 
to  St.  Louis,  but  for  the  death  of  General  McCulloch,  and  then 
of  General  Mclntosh  who  succeeded  him,  in  the  hour  of  victory. 
The  right  wing  was  separated  from  the  left  where  we  were,  with 
Price,  by  a  high  mountain,  and  both  wings  were  converging  on 
Elk  Horn  Tavern  where)  we  arrived  at  sunset  after  triumphantly 
pushing  back  the  enemy  in  our  front,  and  where  the  right  wing 
would  even  have  arrievd  before  us  but  for  the  unfortunate  deaths 
referred  to  above.*  The  enemy  had  given  way  over  there  also, 
but  as  they  found  they  were  not  presssed  they  rallied,  and  assumed 
the  offensive,  and  as  our  people  had  no  head,  and  our  brigades 

*  At  this  battle  Gen.  Van  Dorn  was  charged  with  being  intoxicated  for  the 
reason  that  he  was  taken  to  the  battle-field  in  an  ambulance  when  too  ill  to  mount 
his  horse  ;  so  was  Gen.  Grant  charged  with  the  same  offense  at  the  battle  of 
Shiloh,  when  a  fall  of  his  horse  the  day  before  had  disabled  him. 


Arkansas  Campaign.  75 

were  attacked  in  turn,  first  one  and  then  another  gave  way  from 
want  of  support  and  cohesion,  until  the  whole  wing  was  finally 
routed  and  shattered.  Then  both  wings  of  their  army  next 
morning  turned  on  our  left  wing  and  beat  us.  No  general  ever 
deserved  success  more  than  General  Van  Dorn  did  on  that  occa- 
sion. And  so  with  his  military  operations  before  Corinth.  It 
is  capable  of  demonstration  that  it  was  through  no  fault  of  his 
(beyond  his  relying  on  hh  general  officers  to  carry  out  his  in- 
structions punctually  on  time  so  as  to  move  together  against  the 
enemy's  works,  instead  of  seeing  in  person  that  they  did  so — a 
reliance  against  which,  warned  by  previous  experience,  I  took 
the  liberty  of  warning  him  on  the  morning  of  the  assault),  that 
the  battle  was  not  won,  and  then  we  would  have  had  a  clear 
march  to  join  General  Bragg  before  Louisville. 

"  COL.  CLEMENT  SULLIVANE, 

"  Aide-de-Camp." 

General  Van  Dorn  ind  General  Price  were  rallying  their  forces 
and  planning  to  renew  the  campaign  against  General  Curtis,  when 
orders  were  received  to  go  immediately  to  the  support  of  General 
Johnston  and  General  Beauregard  at  Corinth,  Mississippi.  They 
soon  joined  the  forces  at  this  important  strategic  point,  which 
both  armies  were  striving  to  occupy.  The  report  of  General 
Beauregard's  position  at  this  place,  and  the  rapid  way  in  which 
the  enemy  was  drawing  his  coils  around  the  fortification,  forced 
an  evacuation  of  the  doomed  position,  and  the  Southern  army  re- 
tired, cheering  as  the1  trains  entered  empty,  and  remaining  silent 
as  they  left  with  the  retreating  army, — an  example  followed  by 
General  Rosecrans  in  1862,  when  attacked  in  the  same  position 
by  General  Van  Dorn,  but  reinforcing  instead  of  evacuating. 


76  A  Soldier's  Honor. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

VICKSBURG. 

"  Popular  enthusiasm  is  but  a  fire  of  straw, 
The  gale  from  the  east  to-day  is  a  gale  from  the  west  to-morrow." 

IN  the  month  of  April,  1862,  the  Trans-Mississippi  combined 
army  of  Van  Dorn  and  Price,  consisting  of  upwards  of  ,25,000 
men,  were  ordered  to  immediately  join  General  Beauregard  at 
Corinth,  Mississippi,  expecting  to  drive  the  Federal  army  out  of 
Tennessee  and  Kentucky.  Upon  reaching  this  place,  under  the 
command  of  General  Van  Dorn,  this  army  made  several  sorties 
from  Corinth,  driving  back  the  enemy  and  cutting  railroads,  des- 
troying bridges,  and  cutting  their  communications.  While  at  this 
important  stronghold,  which  was  deemed  so  important  a  strategic 
point,  General  Van  Dorn  took  the  opportunity  to  study  the  topog- 
raphy of  the  country,  make  maps  of  the  same,  and  examine  in- 
tersecting roads.  He  wrote  and  received  many  telegrams  and 
letters  from  this  place,  a  few  of  which  will  be  found  in  the  Ap- 
pendix. 

The  Federal  army  under  General  Grant  gradually  drew  its 
coils  closer  and  closer  around  this  stronghold,  and  finally  com- 
pelled General  Beauregard — after  all  his  labor  and  effort — to 
evacuate  Corinth,  after  which  the  place  was  speedily  occupied  by 
the  enemy,  more  strongly  fortified,  and  later  was  placed  under 
the  command  of  General  Rosecrans. 

After  the  evacuation  of  Corinth  by  General  Beauregard,  Gen- 
eral Van  Dorn  was  assigned  to  the  command  of  Mississippi, 
Alabama  and  Louisiana,  with  special  reference  to  the  defense 
of  Vicksburg,  making  his  headquarters  first  at  Jackson,  the  cap- 
ital of  Mississippi,  and  afterwards  at  Vicksburg.  On  June  24th, 
1862,  he  assumed  this  command  in  the  following  orders: 


«i:'-  "*; 
'"W 


Vicksburg.  77 

"  GENERAL  ORDERS,  No.  i. 

"  HDQRS.  DEPT.  OF  LA.,  Miss.,  AND  E.  LA., 

"  JACKSON,  Miss.,  June  24,  1862. 

"  By  order  of  the  President  the  undersigned  assumes  command 
of  this  department.  It  is  recommended  to  all  persons  living 
within  eight  miles  of  the  Mississippi  River  to  remove  their  fam- 
ilies and  servants  to  the  interior,  as  it  is  the  intention  to  defend 
the  department  to  the  last  extremity. 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN, 

"  Major-General." 

"GENERAL  ORDERS,  No.  3. 

"  HDQRS.  DEPT.  OF  S.  Miss.  AND  E.  LA., 

"  JACKSON,  Miss.,  June  26,  186-?. 

"  I.  The  major-general  commanding  announces  the  following- 
named  officers  as  members  of  his  staff.  They  will  be  respected 
and  obeyed  accordingly :  Col.  Philip  Stockton,  chief  of  ordnance ; 
Maj.  J.  D.  Balfour,  inspector-general;  Maj.  Edward  Dillon,  chief 
commissary;  Maj.  Claud  McGivern,  chief  quarter-master;  Maj. 
M.  M.  Kimmel,  assistant  adjutant-general ;  Surg.  John  M. 
Haden,  medical  director;  Asst.  Surg.  Howard  Smith,  medical 
purveyor ;  Lieut.  Clement  Sulivane,  and  Rufus  Shoemaker,  aides- 
de-camp.  All  persons  having  communications  with  any  of  the 
staff  departments  will  address  them  to  the  respective  heads  of  the 
departments. 

"  II.  Col.  Fred.  Tate  is  hereby  announced  as  provost-marshal- 
general  for  this  department.  He  will  be  obeyed  and  respected 
accordingly. 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN, 

"  Major-General." 

"  GENERAL  ORDERS,  No.  5. 

"  HDQRS.  DEPT.  OF  S.  Miss.  AND  E.  LA., 

"  VICKSBURG,  June  29,  1862. 

"  The  general  commanding  regrets  that  it  has  become  neces- 
sary to  call  the  attention  of  the  troops  encamped  in  this  vicinity 
to  the  Articles  of  War  in  regard  to  the  destruction  of  private 
property.  It  was  hoped  that  respect  for  the  heroic  people  who 
have  given  up  all  to  bombardment  in  such  a  glorious  cause  would 
have  checked  anything  like  marauding  or  wanton  destruction 


78  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

of  their  property.  For  the  sake  of  your  honor  let  it  not  be  said 
that  you  have  damaged  this  city  more  than  the  enemy's  guns. 
Officers  of  regiments  encamped  near  private  property  will  he  held 
responsible  for  its  safety.  Injuries  done  will  be  assessed,  and  the 
regimental  officers  will  be  required  to  pay  for  it  in  proportion  to 
the  amount  of  their  pay. 

"  By  order  of  Maj.-Gen.  Earl  Van  Dorn : 

"  M.  M.  KIMMEL, 
"  Assistant  Adjutant-General." 


The  selection  of  Earl  Van  Dorn  for  this  command  was  a  spe- 
cial one  made  by  President  Davis,  knowing  as  he  did  the  ardent 
spirit  of  patriotism  that  would  actuate  this  officer  in  the  defense 
of  a  city  of  his  native  State,  and  nothing  but  applause  and  good- 
will greeted  the  new  commander.  His  assignment  was  nailed 
with  acclamation,  and  the  press  and  people  accorded  only  kind- 
ness, and  approval,  that  amounted  to  enthusiasm.  The  news- 
papers praised,  while  poems  and  votive  thanks  were  heard  on 
every  side,  and  a  glow  of  proud  love  filled  his  heart  with  a  deter- 
mination to  defend  Vicksburg,  as  he  said,  "though  the  beautiful 
city  be  laid  in  ruins  and  ashes  in  the  struggle."  A  number  of 
handsome  private  houses  situated  on  commanding  sites,  Vicks- 
burg being  a  city  of  hills,  were  leveled  to  give  place  to  fortifica- 
tions. 

Vicksburg  was  threatened  in  front  by  a  strong  fleet,  and  armies 
were  pressing  against  the  doomed  city  from  every  point.  The 
enemy  was  working  his  way  south  of  the  city,  and  every  inch  of 
ground  had  to  be  contested.  Vigilance  was  the  watchword. 
General  Van  Dorn  made  the  following  report  of  the  defenses 
and  his  determination  to  protect  the  city,  including  an  account 
of  his  operations  in  full ;  also  those  regarding  the  daring  exploit 
of  the  ram  "  Arkansas  "  (which  raised  the  first  siege  of  the  city), 
together  with  his  plan  to  take  Baton  Rouge  and  recapture  New 
Orleans.  The  failure  to  carry  out  the  latter  plan  being  due  to 
the  breaking  of  the  shaft  of  the  ram  "  Arkansas," — thus  confirm- 
ing what  General  Grant  so  aptly  says — that  "  many  an  accident 
wins  or  loses  a  battle." 

The  army  and  the  people  were  so  joyous  in  their  applause  at 


Vicksburg.  79 

the  success  thus  far  of  their  commander  and  his  nativity,  that 
the  legislature  voted  him  a  sword  upon  the  recommendation  of 
the  governor,  who  presented  it  in  terms  of  graceful  comment. 
At  this  period,  April  8,  1862,  it  would  seem  that  the  name  of  Earl 
Van  Dorn  was  "  sans  peur  et  sans  reproche." 

GOVERNOR  PETTUS   (MISS.)   TO  THE  LEGISLATURE. 

"  The  Commander,  Major-General  Van  Dorn,  is  one  of  the 
most  active  and  brilliant  officers  in  the  service — a  man  of  high 
character,  and  the  State  of  Mississippi  owes  him  a  sword.  We 
make  the  motion  and  the  people  of  Mississippi  and  the  leg- 
islature will  second  it." 

"  EXECUTIVE  OFFICE, 
"  JACKSON,  Miss.,  April  8,  1862. 
"  To  GENERAL  EARL  VAN  DORN  : — 

"  DEAR  SIR  : — I  have  the  pleasure  to  inform  you  that  I  this  day 
send  Mr.  T.  W.  Johns  with  the  Sword  presented  you  by  the 
State  of  Mississippi.  I  have  sought  to  have  it  made  in  a  style 
worthy  of  yourself  and  the  State,  and  am  pleased  to  be  able  to 
send  it  to  you  just  now  in  time  to  flash  defiance  in  the  face  of 
the  enemies  of  Mississippi,  and  point  our  armies  the  road  to  vic- 
tory. Permit  me  to  take  this  occasion  to  express  the  proud 
confidence  I  feel  that  this  beautiful  gift  has  been  worthily  be- 
stowed, and  that  it  will  yet  wave  in  triumph  over  battle-fields 
which  will  be  the  theme  of  the  sons  of  other  years,  when  you 
and  I  will  have  ceased  to  play  any  part  in  the  affairs  of  men. 
"  Very  respectfully,  your  friend, 

"  JOHN  J.  PETTUS, 

"  Governor" 

At  the  same  time,  Paul  H.  Hayne  addressed  General  Van 
Dorn  a  courteous  letter  containing  expressions  of  admiration, 
and  even  affection,  asking  his  permission  to  dedicate  these  lines 
to  him. 

VICKSBURG. 

"  For  sixty  days  and  upward 

A  storm  of  shell  and  shot 
Rained  round  us  in  a  flowing  shower 
But  still  we  faltered  not, 

I 


8o  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

1  If  the  noble  city  perish,' 
Our  bold  young  leader  said, 

'  Let  the  only  walls  the  foe  shall  scale 
Be  ramparts  of  the  dead." 

"  For  sixty  days  and  upward 

The  eye  of  Heaven  waxed  dim, 
And  e'en  thro'out  God's  holy  morn, 

O'er  Christians'  prayer  and  hymn, 
Arose  a  direful  hissing  sound 

As  if  the  fiend  of  air 
Strove  to  engulf  the  voice  of  faith 

In  shrieks  of  wild  despair, 

"  There  was  wailing  in  the  houses 

Tears  were  trembling  in  the  hearts, 
While  the  tempest  raged  and  thundered 

'Mid  the  silent  thrill  of  hearts, 
But  the  Lord,  our  shield,  was  with  us, 

And  ere  a  month  had  sped, 
The  very  children  walked  the  streets 

With  scarce  a  throb  of  dread. 


44  And  the  little  childrem  gamboled, 

Their  faces  purely  raised 
Just  for  a  wondering  moment 

As  the  huge  bombs  whirred  and  blazed, 
Then  turned  with  silvery  laughter 

To  the  sports  which  children  love, 
Thrice  mailed  in  the  sweet  instinctive  thought, 

That  the  good  God  watched  above. 

"  Yet  the  hailing  bolts  fell  faster 

From  the  scores  of  flame-clad  ships, 
And  about  us,  denser,  darker, 

Grew  the  conflict's  wild  eclipse, 
Till  a  solid  cloud  grew  o'er  us 

Like  a  type  of  gloom  and  ire 
Whence  shot  a  thousand  quivering  tongues 

Of  forked  and  vengeful  fire. 


M  But  the  unseen  bands  of  angels 

Those  death  shots  turned  aside, 
And  the  dove  of  Heavenly  Mercy 

Ruled  o'er  the  battle  tide. 
In  the  houses  ceased  the  wailing, 

And  thro'  the  war-scarred  marts 
The  people  trod  with  the  step  of  Hope 

To  the  music  in  their  hearts." 


Vicksburg.  81 

GENERAL  VAN  DORN^S  OFFICIAL  REPORT. 
"  HEADQUARTERS  DISTRICT  OF  MISSISSIPPI, 

"  JACKSON,  Miss.,  September  9,  1862. 

"  GENERAL  : — I  have  the  honor  to  submit  for  the  information 
of  the  War  Department  the  following  report  of  the  defense  of 
Vicksburg  and  of  operations  in  this  district  up  to  the  present 
time: 

"  Pursuant  to  orders,  I  assumed  command  of  this  district  and 
the  defenses  of  Vicksburg  on  June  27.  Prior  to  my  arrival 
Major-General  Lovell,  having  resolved  to  defend  the  city,  had 
ordered  a  detail  of  his  force,  under  the  command  of  Brigadier- 
General  M.  L.  Smith,  to  garrison  the  place  and  construct  works 
for  its  defense.  I  found  the  city  besieged  by  a  powerful  fleet 
of  war  vessels  and  an  army.  The  inhabitants,  inspired  by  a 
noble  patriotism,  had  determined  to  devote  the  city  to  destruction 
rather  than  see  it  fall  into  the  hands  of  an  enemy  who  had  aban- 
doned many  of  the  rules  of  civilized  warfare.  This  voluntary 
sacrifice  on  the  altar  of  liberty  inspired  me  with  the  determina- 
tion to  defend  it  to  the  last  extremity.  Orders  to  this  effect  were 
at  once  issued,  to  which  my  army  responded  with  the  liveliest 
enthusiasm.  The  citizens  retired  to  the  interior  while  the  troops 
marched  in  and  pitched  their  tents  in  the  valleys  and  on  the  hills 
adjacent  in  convenient  position  to  support  batteries  and  strike 
assailants. 

"  The  batteries  of  heavy  guns  already  established  by  the  skill 
and  energy  of  General  Smith  on  the  crest  of  the  hills  overlook- 
ing the  river  were  placed  in  complete  readiness  for  action.  Other 
guns  were  brought  up  from  Mobile,  from  Richmond,  from  Col- 
umbus, and  elsewhere,  and  put  in  battery.  Breckinridge's  di- 
vision occupied  the  city.  Smith's  brigade,  which  previous  to  my 
arrival  had  furnished  the  garrison  of  the  place,  manned  the  bat- 
teries, and  with  details  from  Breckinridge's  division  guarded  the 
approaches  in  front  and  on  the  flanks.  Withers'  light  artillery 
was  placed  in  such  positions  as  to  sweep  all  near  approaches, 
while  Starke's  cavalry  watched  at  a  distance  on  our  flanks  on  the 
Yazoo  and  below  Warrenton  on  the  Mississippi. 

"  Prior  to  my  assuming  command  the  attacking  force  of  the 
enemy  was  confined  to  Porter's  mortar  fleet  and  Farragut's  gun- 
boats (with  their  attendant  army  in  transports),  which  had  as- 
cended the  river  from  New  Orleans.     For  the  operations  of  this 
6 


82  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

force  in  attack  and  for  the  successful  and  heroic  resistance  made 
by  General  Smith  and  the  troops  under  his  command  I  refer  the 
Department  to  the  satisfactory  and  graphic  report  of  that  officer. 
"  The  evacuation  of  Fort  Pillow  and  the  fall  of  Memphis 
opened  the  new  danger  of  a  combination  between  the  upper  and 
lower  fleets  of  the  enemy.  This  junction  was  effected  early  in 
July,  and  thus  an  added  force  of  more  than  forty  gun- 
boats, mortar-boats,  rams,  and  transports  lay  in  menace  be- 
fore the  city.  On  July  12  it  opened  fire  and  kept  up  a 
continuous  attack  until  the  bombardment  of  the  city  ceased. 
Having  received  authority  from  the  President  to  use  the 
ram  '  Arkansas '  as  part  of  my  force,  some  days  prior  to 
July  15  I  issued  an  order  to  Captain  [I.  N.]  Brown  to  as- 
sume command  of  her  and  prepare  her  for  immediate  and 
active  service.  From  all  reliable  sources  I  learned  that  she  was 
a  vessel  capable  of  great  resistance  and  armed  with  large  of- 
fensive power.  Making  the  order  imperative,  I  commanded  Cap- 
tain Brown  to  take  her  through  the  raft  of  the  Yazoo,  and  after 
sinking  the  '  Star  of  the  West '  in  the  passage  to  go  out  and  attack 
the  upper  fleet  of  the  enemy,  to  the  cover  of  my  batteries.  I  left 
it  to  his  judgment  to  determine  whether  on  reaching  the  city 
his  vessel  was  in  a  condition  to  proceed  down  the  river  and  des- 
troy the  lower  mortar  fleet.  Captain  Brown  properly  substituted 
a  vessel  of  inferior  quality  in  place  of  the  '  Star  of  the  West/  en- 
tered the  Mississippi,  and  on  the  memorable  morning  of  July 
15  immortalized  his  single  vessel,  himself,  and  the  heroes  under 
his  command  by  an  achievement  the  most  brilliant  ever  recorded 
in  naval  annals.  I  deeply  regret  that  I  am  unable  to  enrich  my 
report  by  an  authentic  account  of  the  heroic  action  of  the  offi- 
cers and  men  of  the  '  Arkansas.'  Commodore  [Wm.  F.] 
Lynch  declines  to  furnish  me  with  a  report  of  the  action,  on  the 
ground  that  he  was  an  officer  out  of  the  scope  of  my  command. 
The  glory  of  this  deed  of  the  '  Arkansas  '  stung  the  pride  of  the 
Federal  Navy,  and  led  to  the  most  speedy  but  unsuccessful  effort 
of  the  combined  fleets  to  destroy  her.  I  refer  the  Department 
to  the  report  of  General  Smith  for  an  accurate  detail  of  those 
efforts,  as  also  for  a  connected  and  faithful  relation  of  the  impor- 
tant events  which  make  the  history  of  the  siege  and  defense  of 
Vicksburg.  With  the  failure-  to  destroy  or  take  the  '  Arkansas  ' 
the  siege  of  Vicksburg  practically  ended.  The  attack  on  the  bat- 


Vicksburg.  83 

teries  soon  ceased,  and  the  enemy,  baffled  and  enraged  by  an  un- 
expected, determined,  and  persistent  defense,  vented  his  wrath  in 
impotent  and  barbarian  efforts  to  destroy  the  city.  On  July  27 
both  fleets  disappeared — foiled  in  a  more  than  two  months'  strug- 
gle to  reduce  the  place. 

"  The  casualties  on  our  side  during  the  entire  siege  were 
twenty-two  killed  and  wounded.  Not  a  gun  was  dismounted  and 
but  two  were  temporarily  disabled. 

"  The  successful  defense  of  Vicksburg  is  due  to  the  unflinch- 
ing valor  of  the  cannoneers,  who,  unwearied  by  watchfulness, 
night  and  day  stood  by  their  guns,  unawed  by  the  terrors  of  a 
fierce  and  continuous  bombardment;  to  the  sleepless  vigilance 
and  undaunted  courage  of  the  troops,  who  lay  at  all  hours  in 
close  supporting  distance  of  every  battery,  ready  to  beat  back 
the  invader  so  soon  as  his  footsteps  should  touch  the  shore;  to 
the  skilful  location  of  scattered  batteries,  and  last,  but  not  least, 
to  that  great  moral  power — a  high  and  patriotic  resolve,  pervad- 
ing and  swelling  the  breasts  of  officers,  soldiers,  and  citizens — 
that  at  every  cost  the  enemy  should  be  repelled.  I  refer  the  De- 
partment to  the  specific  enumeration  of  the  names  of  officers  and 
men  who  won  distinction  by  meritorious  service  during  the  siege, 
as  reported  by  General  Smith,  and  I  heartily  indorse  his  com- 
mendations. 

"  Satisfied  that  the  enemy  disappeared  from  Vicksburg  under 
the  mortifying  conviction  that  it  was  impregnable  to  his  attack, 
/  resolved  to  strike  a  blow  before  he  had  time  to  organise  and 
mature  a  new  scheme  of  assault. 

"  The  enemy  held  Baton  Rogue,  the  capital  of  Louisana,  forty- 
miles  below  the  mouth  of  Red  River,  with  a  land  force  of  about 
3,500  men,  in  conjunction  with  four  or  five  gunboats  and  some 
transports.  It  was  a  matter  of  great  necessity  to  us  that  the  navi- 
gation of  Red  River  should  be  opened  as  high  as  Vicksburg. 
Supplies  much  needed  existed  there,  hard  to  be  obtained  from 
any  other  quarter,  and  strong  military  reasons  demanded  that  we 
should  hold  the  Mississippi  at  two  points,  to  facilitate  communi- 
cations and  cooperation  between  my  district  and  the  Trans-Msi- 
sissippi  Department.  The  capture  of  Baton  Rouge  and  the 
forces  of  the  enemy  at  that  point  would  open  the  Mississippi, 
secure  the  navigation  of  Red  River,  then  in  a  state  of  blockade, 
and  also  render  easier  the  recapture  of  New  Orleans.  To  this 


84  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

end  I  gave  orders  to  General  Breckinridge  to  move  upon  Baton 
Rouge  with  a  force  of  5,000  men  picked  from  the  troops  at  Vicks- 
burg,  and  added  to  his  command  the  whole  effective  force  of 
General  Ruggles,  then  at  Camp  Moore,  making  a  total  force  of 
6,000  men.  To  insure  the  success  of  the  plan  I  ordered  the 
'  Arkansas  '  to  cooperate  with  the  land  forces  by  a  simultane- 
ous attack  from  the  river.  All  damages  sustained  by  the  '  Ar- 
kansas '  from  the  fleets  of  the  enemy  had  been  repaired,  and 
when  she  left  the  wharf  at  Vicksburg  for  Baton  Rouge  she  was 
deemed  to  be  as  formidable  in  attack  or  defense  as  when  she  de- 
fied a  fleet  of  forty  vessels  of  war,  many  of  them  ironclads.  With 
such  effective  means  I  deemed  the  taking  of  Baton  Rouge  and 
the  destruction  or  capture  of  the  enemy  on  land  and  water  the 
reasonable  result  of  the  expedition. 

"  By  epidemic  disease  the  land  force  under  Major-General 
Breckinridge  was  reduced  to  less  than  3,000  effective  men  within 
the  period  of  ten  days  after  he  reached  Camp  Moore.  The 
'  Arkansas/  after  arriving  within  a  short  distance  of  Baton 
Rouge  in  ample  time  for  joint  action  at  the  appointed  hour  of 
attack,  suddenly  became  unmanageable  from  a  failure  in  her  ma- 
chinery and  engine,  which  all  the  efforts  of  her  engineers  could 
not  repair.  The  gallant  Breckinridge,  advised  by  telegram 
every  hour  of  her  progress  toward  Baton  Rouge  and  counting 
on  her  cooperation,  attacked  the  enemy  with  his  whole  effective 
force  (then  reduced  to  about  2,500  men),  drove  him  from  all  his 
positions,  and  forced  him  to  seek  protection  under  the  cover  of 
his  gunboats. 

"  I  regret  to  state  that  the  labors  of  General  Breckinridge  in  a 
distant  field  of  operations  have  thus  far  prevented  him  from  mak- 
ing to  me  a  report  of  his  action,  but  enough  has  transpired  to  en- 
able me  to  assure  the  Department  that  the  battle  of  Baton  Rouge 
illustrated  the  valor  of  our  troops  and  the  skill  and  intrepidity  of 
their  commander.  His  report  will  be  forwarded  so  soon  as  it  is 
received. 

"  It  will  be  thus  manifest  to  the  Department  that  an  enterprise 
so  hopeful  in  its  promise  met  with  partial  failure  only  from  causes 
which  were  not  only  beyond  my  control,  but  out  of  the  reach 
of  ordinary  foresight.  I  could  not  anticipate  the  sudden  illness 
of  3,000  picked  men,  and  the  failure  of  the  '  Arkansas  '  at  the 
critical  hour  appointed  to  her  for  added  honors  was  a  joyful 


Vicksburg.  85 

surprise  to  the  startled  fleet  of  the  enemy  and  a  wonder  to  all 
who  had  witnessed  her  glory  at  Vicksburg. 

"  Advised  of  the  result  .of  the  expedition,  I  immediately  ordered 
the  occupation  of  Port  Hudson,  a  point  selected  for  its  eligibility 
for  defense  and  for  its  capacity  for  offensive  annoyance  of  the 
enemy-established  batteries — manned  them  with  experienced 
gunners  and  guarded  them  by  an  adequate  supporting  force, 
holding  Baton  Rouge  in  the  meanwhile  in  menace.  The  effect 
of  these  operations  was  the  evacuation  of  Baton  Rouge  by  the 
enemy  and  his  disappearance  from  the  Mississippi  between  the 
capital  of  Louisiana  and  Vicksburg.  The  results  sought  by  the 
movement  against  Baton  Rouge  have  been  to  a  great  extent  at- 
tained. We  hold  two  points  on  the  Mississippi,  more  than  two 
hundred  miles,  unmolested  by  the  enemy  and  closed  to  him.  The 
navigation  of  the  Mississippi  River  from  the  mouth  of  Red  River 
to  Vicksburg  was  at  once  opened  and  still  remains  open  to  our 
commerce,  giving  us  also  the  important  advantage  of  water  con- 
nection by  Red  River  of  the  East  with  the  West.  Indispensable 
supplies  have  been  and  continue  to  be  drawn  from  this  source. 
The  desired  facilities  for  comunication  and  cooperation  be- 
tween this  district  and  the  Trans-Mississippi  Department  have 
been  established.  The  recapture  of  New  Orleans  has  been  made 
easier  to  our  army. 

"  I  think  it  due  to  the  truth  of  history  to  correct  the  error  in- 
dustriously spread  by  the  official  reports  of  the  enemy  touching 
the  destruction  of  the  '  Arkansas.'  She  was  no  trophy  won  by 
the  '  Essex,'  nor  did  she  receive  injury  at  Baton  Rouge  from  the 
hands  of  any  of  her  adversaries.  Lieutenant  Stevens,  her  gal- 
lant commander,  finding  her  unmanageable,  moored  her  to  the 
shore.  On  the  cautious  approach  of  the  enemy,  who  kept  at  a  re- 
spectful distance,  he  landed  his  crew,  cut  her  from  her  moorings, 
fired  her  with  his  own  hands,  and  turned  her  adrift  down  the 
river.  With  every  gun  shotted,  our  flag  floating  from  her  bow, 
and  not  a  man  on  board,  the  '  Arkansas  '  bore  down  upon  the 
enemy  and  gave  him  battle.  The  guns  were  discharged  as  the 
flames  reached  them,  and  when  her  last  shot  was  fired  the  ex- 
plosion of  her  magazine  ended  the  brief  but  glorious  career  of 
the  '  Arkansas.'  '  It  was  beautiful,'  said  Lieutenant  Stevens, 
while  the  tears  stood  in  his  eyes,  '  to  see  her,  when  abandoned  by 
commander  and  crew  and  dedicated  to  sacrifice,  fighting  the  bat- 


86  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

tie  on  her  own  hook.'  I  trust  that  the  official  report  of  Commo- 
dore Lynch  will  do  justice  to  the  courage,  constancy,  and  resolu- 
tion of  the  officers  and  men  who  were  the  last  crew  of  the 
'  Arkansas.' 

"  I  deem  it  eminently  proper  to  say  to  the  Department  that 
neither  the  spirit  which  resolved  to  dispute  at  Vicksburg  the 
jurisdiction  of  tke  Mississippi  River  nor  the  energy  which  suc- 
cessfully executed  that  resolution  was  local  in  its  character.  Nor 
was  it  a  spirit  bounded  by  State  lines  or  circumscribed  by  State 
pride.  It  was  a  broad  catholic  spirit,  wide  as  our  country,  and 
unlimited  as  the  independence  which  we  struggle  to  establish. 
The  power  which  baffled  the  enemy  resided  in  the  breasts  of  the 
soldiers  of  seven  States,  marshaled  behind  the  ramparts  of  Vicks- 
burg. Mississippians  were  there,  but  there,  too,  also  were  the 
men  of  Kentucky,  of  Tennessee,  of  Alabama,  of  Arkansas,  of 
Louisiana,  and  of  Missouri,  as  ready  to  defend  the  emporium  of 
Mississippi  as  to  strike  down  the  foe  at  their  own  hearthstones. 

"  I  incorporate  with  my  report  a  schedule  of  the  forces  under 
my  command  at  Vicksburg  as  a  proper  contribution  to  the  ar- 
chives of  the  Confederacy. 

"  General  Helm :  Fourth  Kentucky  Volunteers,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Hynes ;  Fifth  Kentucky  Volunteers,  Colonel  Hunt; 
Thirty-first  Alabama  Volunteers,  Colonel  Edwards ;  Fourth  Ala- 
bama Battalion,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Snodgrass ;  Thirty-first  Mis- 
sissippi Volunteers,  Colonel  Orr;  Hudson's  Battery,  Frst  Lieu- 
tenant Sweeney. 

"  General  J.  S.  Bowen :  First  Missouri  Volunteers,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Riley;  Tenth  Arkansas  Volunteers,  Colonel  A.  R.  Witt; 
Ninth  Arkansas  Volunteers,  Colonel  Dunlop ;  Sixth  Mississippi 
Volunteers,  Colonel  Lowry;  Second  Confederate  Battalion, 
[James  C.  Malone]  ;  Watson  Battery,  Captain  Bursley. 

"  General  Preston :  Third  Kentucky  Volunteers,  Colonel 
Thompson ;  Sixth  Kentucky  Volunteers,  Colonel  Lewis ;  Seventh 
Kentucky  Volunteers,  Colonel  Crossland ;  Thirty-fifth  Alabama 
Volunteers,  Colonel  Robertson ;  Cobb's  Battery,  Lieutenant 
Gracey. 

"  Col.  W.  S.  Statham :  Fifth  Mississippi  Volunteers,  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Farrell ;  Twenty-second  Mississippi  Volunteers, 
Captain  Hughes ;  Nineteenth  Tennessee  Volunteers,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Moore ;  Twentieth  Tennessee  Volunteers,  Colonel  Smith ; 


Vicksburg.  87 

Twenty-eighth  Tennessee  Volunteers,  Colonel  Brown;  Forty- 
fifth  Tennessee  Volunteers,  Colonel  Searcy;  McClung's  Battery, 
Captain  McClung. 

"  General  M.  L.  Smith :  Company  of  sappers  and  miners,  Cap- 
tain Wintter;  Twenty-sixth  Louisiana  Volunteers,  Colonel  De 
Clouet ;  Twenty-eighth  Louisiana  Volunteers,  Colonel  Thomas ; 
Sixth  Mississippi  Battalion,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Balfour; 
Twenty-seventh  Louisiana  Volunteers,  Colonel  Marks;  Third 
Mississippi  Volunteers,  Colonel  Mellon ;  Seventeenth  Louisiana 
Volunteers,  Colonel  Richardson;  Fourth  Louisiana  Volunteers, 
Colonel  Allen ;  Company  I,  Thirty-ninth  Mississippi  Volunteers, 
Captain  Randel ;  First  Mississippi  Light  Artillery,  Colonel 
Withers ;  regiment  heavy  artillery,  Colonel  Jackson ;  Eighth 
Louisiana  Battalion,  W.  E.  Pinkney ;  First  Louisiana  Battalion, 
Major  Clinch ;  Twenty-eighth  Mississippi  Cavalry,  Colonel 
Starke ;  Battalion  Zouaves,  Major  Dupeire ;  cavalry  escort,  Lieu- 
tenant Bradley. 

"  To  the  members  of  my  staff,  Majors  Kimmel  and  Stith,  as- 
sistant adjutant-generals ;  to  Major  Joseph  D.  Balfour,  in- 
spector; to  Surgeon  Choppin,  medical  director;  Surgeon  Bryan, 
medical  inspector;  to  Lieutenants  Sulivane  and  Shoemaker,  my 
aides;  to  Lieutenant-Colonel  Lomax,  assistant  adjutant  and  in- 
spector-general ;  Lieut.-Col.  J.  P.  Major,  acting  engineer ;  Capts. 
A.  H.  Cross  and  Thyssens,  engineers;  to  Col.  Fred.  Tate,  and 
to  Majors  Uriel  Wright  and  Welchler,  volunteer  aides,  I  return 
my  thanks  for  the  ready  and  efficient  services  rendered  by  them 
in  their  respective  departments. 

"  I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN, 

"  Major-General." 

"  GENERAL  ORDERS,  No.  51. 

"  WAR  DEPT.,  ADJT.  AND  INSP.  GEN.'S  OFFICE, 

"  RICHMOND,  VA.,  July  22,  1862. 

"  The  successful  defense  of  Vicksburg  against  the  mortar 
fleet  of  the  enemy  by  Major-General  Van  Dorn  and  the  officers 
and  men  under  his  command  entitles  them  to  the  gratitude  of  the 
country,  the  thanks  of  the  Government,  and  the  admiration  of 
the  Army.  By  their  gallantry  and  good  conduct  they  have  not 
only  saved  the  city  intrusted  to  them,  but  they  have  shown  that 


88  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

bombardments  of  cities,  if  bravely  resisted,  achieve  nothing  for 
the  enemy,  and  only  serve  to  unveil  his  malice  and  the  hypocrisy 
of  his  pretended  wish  to  restore  the  Union.  The  world  now 
sees  that  his  mission  is  one  of  destruction,  not  restoration. 

"  Lieutenant  Brown  and  the  officers  and  crew  of  the  Confeder- 
ate steamer  '  Arkansas,'  by  their  heroic  attack  upon  the  Federal 
fleet  before  Vicksburg,  equaled  the  highest  recorded  examples 
of  courage  and  skill.  They  prove  that  the  Navy,  when  it  regains 
its  proper  element,  will  be  one  of  the  chief  bulwarks  of  national 
defense,  and  that  it  is  entitled  to  a  high  place  in  the  confidence 
and  affection  of  the  country. 

"  By  command  of  the  Secretary  of  War : 

"  S.  COOPER, 
"  Adjutant  and  Inspector  General." 


On  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  the  enemy  was  ex- 
erting his  best  skill  and  ingenuity  to  circumvent  the  designs  of 
General  Van  Dorn,  who,  on  the  other  hand,  was  zealously  work- 
ing night  and  day  to  defeat  the  plans  of  the  enemy.  The  daily 
papers  were  thoughtlessly  publishing  the  movements  of  troops ; 
there  was  constant  communication  with  the  enemy,  and  Federal 
commanders  had  been  ordered  by  the  United  States  Government 
to  offer  every  inducement  to  Southern  planters  to  furnish  cotton.* 
At  the  same  time  General  Van  Dorn  was  planning  to  move  troops 
to  the  west  of  Baton  Rouge,  and  with  thYaid  of  the  ram  "  Ar- 
kansas" to  recapture  New  Orleans.  His  plans  were  supposed  to 
be  as  secret  as  possible,  hence  were  unknown  to  the  press  or  the 
soMiers  (who  planned  and  fought  more  campaigns  from  their 
sanctums  and  camps  than  both  armies).  This  being  a  most  im- 

*  August  2,  1862,  General  Halleck  wrote  to  General  Grant  to  "  See  that  all 
possible  facilities  are  afforded  for  getting  out  cotton.  It  is  deemed  important  to 
get  as  much  as  we  can  into  market.  I  see  it  stated  in  the  newspapers  that 
General  Sherman  has  forbidden  the  payment  of  gold  for  cotton,  while  General 
Butler  advises  the  payment  of  gold,  in  order  to  induce  planters  to  bring  it  to 
market." 

Again,  General  Grant  said  :  "  The  Government  wanted  to  get  out  all  the  cotton 
possible  from  the  South  and  directed  me  to  give  every  facility  towards  that  end. 
Pay  in  gold  was  authorized,  and  stations  on  the  Mississippi  River  and  on  the  rail- 
roads in  our  possession  had  to  be  designated  where  cotton  would  be  received. 
This  opened  to  the  enemy  not  only  the  means  of  communication,  but  was  demor- 
alizing to  the  troops."  (P.  399,  Vol.  I.  of  his  Memoirs.) 


Vicksburg.  89 

portant  movement,  and  by  the  counsel  and  suggestions  of  his 
« superior  officers,  he  issued  what  is  known  as  order  No.  9,  in 
these  terms,  expecting  patriotic  citizens  to  uphold  the  same,  and 
to  cooperate  with  him  in  his  effort  to  save  them  from  invasion, 
and  protect  their  persons  and  property  from  the  enemy,  "  having, 
as  he  stated,  "  no  desire  to  accumulate  power,  but  for  their  best 
interest  was  the  order  issued." 

"  GENERAL  ORDERS,  No.  9. 

"  HDQRS.  DEPT.  OF  SOUTH  Miss.  AND  E.  LA., 

"  VICKSBURGH,  Miss.,  July  4,  1862.* 

"  The  General  Commanding  having  announced  in  General  Or- 
ders, No.  I,  his  intention  to  defend  the  Department  to  the  last 
extremity,  or  in  view  of  the  exigencies  of  the  Country,  hereby 
declares  Martial  Law  in  the  following  counties :  As  there  seems 
to  be  some  misapprehension  in  regard  to  the  meaning  and  effect 
of  Martial  Law,  the  General  Commanding  deems  ~it  proper  to 
state  that  it  has  been  well  defined  to  be  '  the  will  of  the  Mili- 
tary Commander,  but  the  extent  of  the  action  that  may  be  had 
under  it  cannot  be  definitely  announced,  depending,  as  it  does, 
upon  the  emergency  of  calling  for  such  action.  It  is  not  intended 
to  interfere  with  the  courts,  either  civil  or  criminal,  except  so  far 
as  they  may  come  in  conflict  with  military  orders. 

"  That '  private  interest  must  be  subservient  to  the  public  good, 
is  an  old  and  respected  maxim,  and  the  loyal  and  intelligent 
will  yield  a  willing  obedience  to  the  military  mandates  based 
thereon.  The  General  Commanding  confidently  calls  upon  all 
officers,  both  civil  and  military,  as  also  the  citizens  generally,  to 
cooperate  with  and  sustain  him  in  all  things  necessary  for  the 
defense  of  the  Country. 

"  Disloyalty  must  and  will  not  be  countenanced.  The  credit  of 
the  Government  must  be  sustained.  The  seeds  of  dissension 
and  disaffection  shall  not  be  sown  among  the  troops.  Specula- 
tion and  extortion  upon  soldiers  and  citizens  will  not  be  toler- 
ated, and  to  these  ends  the  General  Commanding  orders : 

"  (I.)  Any  person  who  shall  trade  or  attempt  to  trade  with  the 
enemy  under  any  pretense  whatsoever,  or  who  shall  give  any 
signal  to,  or  in  any  manner  hold  communication  with  the  Enemy 

*  One  year  from  this  date  Vicksburg  surrendered,  July  4,  1863. 


9o  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

for  the  purpose  of  giving  information  concerning  the  Confed- 
erate forces,  or  shall  pass  into  his  Camps,  or  through  his  lines 
without  a  passport  from  the  proper  authority,  shall  suffer  death. 

"  (II.)  Any  person  who  shall  refuse  to  receive  Confederate 
money,  or  shall  do  or  say  or  write  anything  calculated  to  depreci- 
ate the  same,  shall  be  subject  to  fine  and  imprisonment,  or  confis- 
cation of  property,  either  or  both,  as  the  nature  of  the  case  may 
indicate. 

"  (III.)  The  publication  of  any  article  in  the  newspapers  in  ref- 
erence to  the  movements  of  the  troops  is  prohibited,  and  if  the 
editor  or  proprietor  of  any  newspaper  published  in  any  of  the 
counties  hereinbefore  designated  shall  publish  any  editorial  ar- 
ticle, or  copy  into  his  paper  any  article,  or  paragraph  calculated 
to  impair  confidence  in  any  of  the  Commanding  Officers  whom 
the  President  may  see  fit  to  place  over  the  troops,  such  editor  or 
proprietor  shall  be  subject  to  fine  and  imprisonment,  and  the 
publication  of  the  paper  shall  be  thereafter  suspended. 

"  (IV.)  The  asking  of  exorbitant  prices  for  goods  or  the  com- 
modities of  life,  such  as  would  indicate  a  want  of  confidence  in 
Confederate  money,  or  the  bartering  of  or  offering  to  barter 
goods  at  '  low  prices  '  for  the  commodities  of  life,  is  prohibited, 
and  any  person  so  offending  shall  be  subject  to  fine  and  impris- 
onment, or  confiscation  of  property,  either  or  both,  as  the  nature 
of  the  case  may  indicate. 

"  (V.)  Provost  Marshals  will  be  appointed  for  each  of  the 
counties  in  which  none  have  been  apointed,  and  the  appoint- 
ments heretofore  made  are  confirmed  until  further  orders. 

"  (VI.)  Colonel  Fred  Tate,  Provost  Marshal  General  of  the 
Department,  is  charged  with  the  execution  of  the  above  order, 
and  the  local  Provost  Marshals  will  report  to  him  weekly  all 
proceedings  had  before  them. 

"  By  order  of  Major-General  Earl  Van  Dorn, 

"  M.  M.  KlMMEL, 

"Major  and  Assistant  Adjutant-General."* 

*  (Martial  law.) 

Corinth,  Miss.,  March  30,  1862. 

By  order  of  General  A.  S.  Johnston  martial  law  was  established  at  Jackson  and 
Grenada,  Miss.,  and  environs  for  a  circuit  of  five  miles  and  suitable  persons  were 
appointed  to  act  as  provost  marshals. 

Martial  law  was  also  declared  at  Memphis  and  a  provost  marshal  appointed  by 
General  Ruggles  to  enforce  the  order. 


Vicksburg.  91 

In  this  connection  read  what  General  W.  T.  Sherman  writes 
to  Admiral  Porter  under  date  of  Feb.  4,  1863 : 

"  BEFORE  VICKSBURG,  Feb.  4,  1863. 
"  GEN.  W.  T.  SHERMAN  TO  ADMIRAL  DAVID  D.  PORTER: 

"  DEAR  SIR  : — I  thank  you  most  heartily  for  your  kind  and 
considerate  letter,  Feb.  3,  received  this  day,  and  more  obliged 
than  you  can  understand,  as  it  covers  many  points  I  had  neg- 
lected to  guard  against.  Before  Vicksburg,  my  mind  was  more 
intent  on  the  enemy  intrenched  behind  those  hills  than  on  the 
spies  and  intriguers  in  my  own  camp  and  '  at  home.' 

"  The  spirit  of  anarchy  seems  deep  at  work  at  the  North,  more 
alarming  than  the  batteries  that  shell  at  us  from  the  opposite 
shore.  I  am  going  to  have  the  correspondent  of  the  New  York 
Herald  tried  by  a  court-martial  as  a  spy,  not  that  I  want  the  fel- 
low shot,  but  because  I  want  to  establish  the  principle  that  such 
people  cannot  attend  our  armies,  in  violation  of  orders,  and  defy 
us,  publishing  their  garbled  statements  and  defaming  officers  who 
are  doing  their  best.  You  of  the  Navy  can  control  all  who  sail 
under  your  flag,  whilst  we  are  almost  compelled  to  carry  along 
in  our  midst  a  class  of  men  who  on  Government  transports 
usurp  the  best  state-rooms  and  accommodations  of  the  boats, 
pick  up  the  drop  conversations  of  officers,  and  report  their  lim- 
ited and  tainted  observations  as  the  history  of  events  they  neither 
see  nor  comprehend.  This  should  not  be,  and  must  not  be.  We 
cannot  prosper  in  military  operations  if  we  submit  to  it,  and,  as 
some  one  must  begin  the  attack,  I  must  assume  the  ungracious 
task.  I  shall  always  account  myself  fortunate  to  be  near  the 
officers  of  the  old  Navy,  and  would  be  most  happy  if  I  could 
think  it  possible  the  Navy  and  the  Army  of  our  country  could 
ever  again  enjoy  the  high  tone  of  honor  and  honesty  that  charac- 
terized them  in  the  days  of  our  youth." 

The  defeat  at  Elkhorn,  Arkansas, — not  a  defeat  as  was  said, 
but  simply  a  failure  to  drive  the  enemy  out  of  the  State  and 
thereby  relieve  Missouri  of  his  presence, — had  been  condoned, 
and  for  a  time  General  Van  Dorn's  star  was  in  the  ascendant. 
The  ram  "  Arkansas  "  came  out  of  Yazoo  River  and  routed  the 
Union  fleet  that  lay  in  front  of  Vicksburg,  bombarding  the  city 
at  will,  and  the  situation  seemed  bright  and  hopeful  until  order 
No.  9  was  issued.  At  once  a  storm,  a  whirlwind,  of  obloquy 


92  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

burst  upon  his  head  that  would  have  crushed  a  man  of  less  de- 
termination. The  press  assailed  him  as  a  "  military  tyrant,"  and 
applied  every  harsh  epithet  in  their  vocabulary ;  but  finding  they 
could  not  successfully  assail  his  military  reputation  nor  crush 
his  spirit  by  that  means,  they  resorted  to  ingenious  and  malicious 
assaults  upon  his  personal  and  private  character.  Then,  and  then 
only,  was  his  soul  wounded  to  the  quick.  Then  he  bowed  his 
head  in  sorrow,  requested  the  President,  who  was  his  constant 
friend,  to  relieve  him  of  the  command  and  to  assign  him  to  an- 
other field.  And,  thus,  Earl  Van  Dorn  was  driven  from  his  na- 
tive State,  for  which  he  was  ready  to  give  his  life,  his  love,  his 
heart's  best  devotion. 

General  Van  Dorn  was  soon  placed  in  command  of  cavalry 
forces  and  General  Pemberton  assigned  to  the  command  at 
Vicksburg.  (After  the  fall  of  Vicksburg,  some  of  General 
Van  Dorn's  critics  were  heard  to  say,  that,  "  had  Van  Dorn 
remained  in  command,  Grant's  transports  would  never  have 
passed  their  guns,  nor  would  his  army  have  landed  as  it  did 
on  the  east  side  of  the  river  on  its  way  to  besiege  Vicksburg. 
General  Pemberton  was  also  so  well  abused  that  he,  too,  asked 
to  be  relieved  after  the  dire  happenings,  and  to  be  reduced  to 
the  ranks  as  a  private.) 

In  the  Appendix  telegrams  and  orders  and  reports  will  show  how 
industriously  General  Van  Dorn  had  labored  for  the  defense  of 
this  city,  and  how  zealously  he  studied  its  welfare  and  safety,  and 
how  eagerly  his  presence  and  command  were  afterward  sought 
when  General  Grant  had  crossed  the  river.  The  only  fortifica- 
tions erected  south  of  Vicksburg  were  by  his  orders,  knowing 
this  to  be  the  only  vulnerable  point  by  which  General  Grant 
could  approach  and  besiege  that  stronghold.  His  energies  were 
therefore  directed  to  the  southern  approaches.  Port  Hudson  had 
been  fortified  by  his  orders,  and  heavy  artillery  placed  to  com- 
mand the  river.  That  point  guarded  the  mouth  of  Red  River, 
from  whence  abundant  supplies  of  beef  cattle  and  provisions 
came  to  the  army  from  Texas  and  other  places.  Several  assaults 
were  made  on  this  armed  fort  and  failed,  but  it  held  its  ground 
until  Vicksburg  fell.  The  canal  that  General  Grant  attempted 
below  the  city  proved  a  failure,  and  as  General  Van  Dorn  had 
warned  the  people  his  objective  point  was  south  of  the  city,  hav- 
ing found  all  other  points  impracticable  to  a  siege.  General 


Vicksburg.  93 

Grant's  report  of  his  campaign  around  this  city  will  be  read  with 
interest  by  those  who  lived  near  and  are  familiar  with  the  river, 
the  roads,  and  country  around  this  section. 

In  connection  with  General  Van  Dorn's  foresight  as  to  the 
plans  of  General  Grant,  this  statement  comes  from  his  aide-de- 
camp, Colonel  Sulivane.  This  officer  left  Maryland  and  enlisted 
as  a  private  in  the  i6th  Mississippi  Regiment,  and  was  promoted 
for  gallantry  in  action,  until  at  the  close  of  hostilities  his  com- 
mission only  needed  the  signature  of  the  President  to  make  him 
a  Brigadier-General. 

"  As  Aide-de-Camp,  I  had  to  perform  any  duties  to  which  I 
might  be  assigned,  and  was  always  at  the  beck  and  call  of  the 
commanding  general. 

"  During  the  month  of  July,  1862,  the  first  siege  of  Vicksburg, 
my  sole  occupation  was,  as  ordered  by  General  Van  Dorn,  to 
make  myself  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  country  around  Vicks- 
burg, its  woods,  hills,  bayous,  roads,  etc.,  and  especially  toward 
Big  Black  River,  and  beyond;  and  I  spent  the  whole  month  in 
solitary  rides  of  exploration,  in  view  of  an  attack  by  the  United 
States  Army.  Repeatedly  General  Van  Dorn  said  to  me,  '  They 
can  never  seriously  menace  Vicksburg,  certainly  can  never  take 
it,  but  by  landing  a  heavy  force  to  the  south  of  the  city,  either 
above  or  below  the  Big  Black.  If  above,  I  must  meet  them  be- 
fore they  make  good  their  footing, — if  below,  I  must  meet  them 
at  the  Big  Black.  And  I  desire  to  know  every  foot  of  the  coun- 
try. If  they  are  ever  allowed  to  pass  the  Big  Black  with  a  heavy 
force,  Vicksburg  must  fall.'  Just  one  year  afterwards,  when, 
the  General  was  in  his  grave,  his  military  prescience  was  vindi- 
cated. I  often  commented  on  it  during  the  second  siege  of 
Vicksburg  to  my  fellow  officers  of  the  Army  in  North  Virginia, 
and  I  steadily  said  to  them  (after  General  Grant's  occupation  of 
Raymond),  "  Vicksburg  will  fall.' ' 

General  Johnston  also  states  in  his  report  to  the  President  that 
he  "  had  told  General  Pemberton  that  the  time  to  strike  the 
enemy  with  the  best  hope  of  saving  Vicksburg  was  when  he  was 
landing  near  Bruinsburg  " — that  "  if  Grant's  army  landed  on  the 
east  side  of  the  river  the  safety  of  Mississippi  depended  upon 
beating  it  back ;  if  Grant  crossed  to  unite  his  whole  force  against 
him.  These  instructions  were  neglected  and  time  was  given 
Grant  to  gain  a  foothold  in  the  State." 


94  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

To  be  misunderstood  and  misjudged  by  those  we  love  is  the 
curse  and  bitterness  of  life,  and  if  God  could  suffer  we  would 
crucify  Him  every  day. 

All  of  General  Van  Dorn's  zeal,  activity  and  military  ability 
were  centered  in  the  struggle  to  defend  Vicksburg  to  the  last  ex- 
tremity,— centered,  as  it  proved,  in  an  egg  from  whence  issued 
hissing  serpents  instead  of  a  dove  of  peace  and  cooperation. 

"  Modern  fame  lodgeth  in  a  hut,  a  slight  and  temporary  dwelling  ; 
I^ay  not  up  the  treasures  of  thy  soul  within  so  damp  a  chamber 
For  the   moth  of  detraction  shall  fret  thy  robe,  and  drop  its  eggs  upon  tby 
motive," 

Every  seed  he  had  planted  for  its  defense  blossomed  now  into  a 
poisonous  fruit  of  sorrow  and  sadness  that  followed  him  to  if  it 
did  not  put  him  into  his  grave.  He  was  too  unselfish  and  gener- 
ous to  friend  and  foe  and  possessed  of  too  many  enviable  quali- 
ties to  pass  through  the  world  without  detractors, — and  to  a  sen- 
sitive man  detraction  kills  quicker  than  the  poison  of  asps, — and 
"  they  delivered  him  to  the  chief  priests  to  be  scourged." 

"  Love,  the  fairest  of  all  fair  things 

That  ever  to  man  descended, 
Grows  rank  with  nettles  and  poisonous  stings 
Unless  it  is  watched  and  tended. 

"  On  the  river  of  life  as  I  float  along, 

I  see  with  the  spirit's  sight 
That  many  a  nauseous  seed  of  wrong 
Has  root  in  a  seed  of  right." 

Chance  is  the  lord  of  destiny,  "  Reputation  a  bubble  that  bursts 
in  an  hour,  and  life  but  the  toss  of  a  coin  ;  those  who  float  in  the 
sunshine  know  little  of  the  shadow;  while  the  sun  shines  the 
bubble  sparkles  and  eludes ;  when  the  shadow  comes  the  sparkle 
vanishes  and  all  is  gone.  Man  may  do  his  best  and  is  alone  re- 
sponsible for  his  doing;  if  he  wins  he  gets  applause,  if  he  loses, 
by  no  fault  of  his  own,  he  is  condemned." 

Who  were  more  condemned  and  vilified  in  their  lifetime  than 
Abraham  Lincoln,  Washington,  Grant,  and  even  the  immortal 
Lee  did  not  escape.  Stonewall  Jackson  sent  despatches  that 
show  that  he,  too,  was  disappointed,  and  wounded,  and  asked  to 
be  allowed  to  resign  and  resume  his  duties  at  the  University,— 
as  this  correspondence  proves: 


Vicksburg.  95 

"  STONEWALL  JACKSON'S  WAY." 
GEN.  JACKSON'S  LETTER  TO  THE  SECRETARY  OT  WAR. 
"  HEADQUARTERS  VALLEY  DISTRICT, 

"January  3ist,  1862. 
"  HON.  J.  P.  BENJAMIN,  SECRETARY  OF  WAR: 

"  SIR  : — Your  order  requiring  me  to  direct  General  Loring  to 
return  with  his  command  to  Winchester  immediately  has  been 
received  and  promptly  complied  with.  With  such  interference  in 
my  command  I  cannot  expect  to  be  of  much  service  in  the  field, 
and  accordingly  respectfully  request  to  be  ordered  to  report  for 
duty  to  the  Superintendent  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  at 
Lexington,  as  has  been  done  in  the  case  of  other  professors. 
Should  this  application  not  be  granted,  I  respectfully  request 
that  the  President  will  accept  my  resignation  from  the  army. 
"  I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully, 

"  Your  obedient  servant, 

"  T.  J.  JACKSON, 
"  Major-General  P.  A.  C.  S." 

HIS    LETTER    TO    GOVERNOR    LETCHER — THE    ROMNEY    EXPEDITION. 

"  WINCHESTER,  January  3ist,  1862. 

"  GOVERNOR  : — This  morning  I  received  an  order  from  the  Sec- 
retary of  War  to  order  General  Loring  and  his  command  to  fall 
back  from  Romney  to  this  place  immediately.  The  order  was 
promptly  complied  with,  but  as  the  order  was  given  without  con- 
sulting me,  and  is  abandoning  to  the  enemy  what  has  cost  much 
preparation,  expense  and  exposure  to  secure,  and  is  in  direct  con- 
flict with  my  military  plans,  and  implies  a  want  of  confidence  in 
my  capacity  to  judge  when  General  Loring's  troops  should  fall 
back,  and  is  an  attempt  to  control  military  operations  in  detail 
from  the  Secretary's  desk  at  a  distance,  I  have  for  the  reasons  set 
forth  in  the  accompanying  paper  requested  to  be  ordered  back  to 
the  Institute,  and  if  this  is  denied  me,  then  to  have  my  resigna- 
tion accepted.  I  ask  as  a  special  favor  that  you  will  have  me 
ordered  back  to  the  Institute. 

"  As  a  single  order  like  that  of  the  Secretary's  may  destroy  the 
entire  fruits  of  a  campaign,  I  cannot  reasonably  expect,  if  my 
operations  are  thus  to  be  interfered  with,  to  be  of  much  service  in 
the  field.  A  sense  of  duty  brought  me  into  the  field,  and  has  thus 
far  kept  me.  It  now  appears  to  be  my  duty  to  return  to  the  In- 


96  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

stitute,  and  I  hope  that  you  will  leave  no  stone  unturned  to  get 
me  there.  If  I  have  ever  acquired  through  the  blessing  of  Provi- 
dence any  influence  over  troops,  this  undoing  of  my  work  by  the 
Secretary  may  greatly  diminish  that  influence. 

"  I  regard  the  recent  expedition  as  a  great  success.  Before  our 
troops  left  home  on  the  1st  instant  there  was  not,  so  far  as  I  have 
been  able  to  ascertain,  a  single  loyal  man  in  Morgan  County  who 
could  remain  at  home  in  safety.  In  four  days  that  county  was 
entirely  evacuated  by  the  enemy.  Romney  and  the  most  valuable 
portion  of  Hampshire  County  was  recovered  without  firing  a  gun, 
and  before  we  had  ever  entered  the  county. 

"  I  desire  to  say  nothing  against  the  Secretary  of  War.  I  take 
it  for  granted  that  he  has  done  what  he  believed  to  be  best,  but  I 
regard  such  a  policy  as  ruinous. 

"  Very  truly,  your  friend, 

"T.  J.  JACKSON. 
"  His  Excellency  John  Letcher,  Governor  of  Virginia." 

To  read  the  records  of  the  Civil  War  on  either  side  will  mantle 
the  cheek  with  a  blush  for  the  treason,  invective,  false  represen- 
tations of  commanding  officers  and  their  motives,  and  the  archives 
of  the  nation  are  blackened  and  besmirched  by  them  to  a  degree 
of  disgrace  and  dishonor  that  should  be  blotted  out  with  the 
sins  of  the  penitent  sinner! 

By  reference  to  the  Records,  it  will  be  seen  by  the  multitudes 
of  telegrams  and  papers  addressed  to  and  relative  to  General 
Van  Dorn  from  General  J.  E.  Johnston,  General  Bragg,  and  the 
President,  how  greatly  his  services  were  in  demand,  and  how 
confidently  they  depended  upon  him  for  the  execution  of  the 
most  difficult  orders.  Knowing  his  dash  and  celerity  of  move- 
ment, the  enemy  also  was  kept  on  the  lookout  for  his  troops,  and 
many  telegrams  from  General  Grant  and  others  are  to  "  look  out 
for  Van  Dorn's  cavalry."  At  the  time  of  his  last  campaign  he 
was  preparing  for  the  important  movement  to  enter  Nashville 
and  combine  his  forces  with  General  Bragg's  to  drive  the  enemy 
from  Tennessee  and  Kentucky.  When  General  Grant  was  below 
Vicksburg,  encamped  at  a  landing  on  the  Mississippi  River,  an  old 
man  was  taken  prisoner  and  his  friends  went  to  beg  him  off,  and 
to  take  him  clothing  and  money.  General  Granat  was  so  much 
afraid  of  a  surprise  by  cavalry,  that  upon  hearing  the  rumor  from 


Vicksburg.  07 

this  party  of  General  Van  Dorn's  death,  which  occurred  May  7th, 
his  battle  at  Port  Gibson  having  occurred  the  1st  of  May,  1863, 
he  would  allow  no  one  to  enter  the  camp  for  any  purpose,  doubled 
his  pickets,  and  stated  that  the  rumor  of  General  Van  Dorn's 
death  was  but  a  ruse  to  put  him  off  his  guard  that  Van  Dorn 
might  repeat  the  surprise  of  Holly  Springs  and  cut  off  his  base 
of  supplies  by  getting  in  his  rear. 

RELATIVE  TO  MARTIAL  LAW. 

"  I  did  not  see  the  order  from  General  Bragg  to  General  Van 
Dorn  to  which  you  refer,  but  it  was  my  understanding  at  the  time 
that  it  was  at  the  former  General's  suggestion  that  General  Van 
Dorn  proclaimed  martial  law  in  order  to  be  able  to  censor  the 
press,  the  immediate  and  pressing  necessity  for  this  being  the  ab- 
solute need  to  keep  secret  the  projected  descent  on  Baton  Rouge, 
La.  General  Williams,  U.  S.  A.,  was  lying  at  Baton  Rouge  with 
between  4,000  and  5,000  men,  and  General  Van  Dorn  formed  a 
plan  to  send  General  Breckinridge  with  about  the  same  number 
of  Confederate  troops  down  the  railroad  to  Tangipahoe,  thence 
to  march  on  Baton  Rouge  about  eighty  miles  distant,  and  arrive 
there  on  a  fixed  day  in  August,  1862,  to  meet  the  ram  '  Arkan- 
sas,' which  General  Van  Dorn  was  to  have  there  also  on  the  same 
day.  General  Breckinridge  was  to  attack,  drive  to  the  river  bank 
and  kill  or  capture  Williams'  entire  force,  while  the  '  Arkansas  ' 
was  to  engage  the  United  States'  war  vessels  and  prevent  their 
giving  any  assistance  to  their  infantry  on  shore.  There  was  but 
one  U.  S.  ironclad,  the  '  Essex,'  there,  and  she  was  incompara- 
ble to  the  '  Arkansas  '  either  in  guns  or  armor,  the  Confederate 
ironclad  carrying^  ten,  and  the  U.  S.  ironclad  carrying  but  two 
guns.  It  was  confidently  expected  that  the  '  Arkansas '  would 
sink,  disable,  or  drive  away  the  '  Essex '  and  her  wooden  con- 
sorts, whereupon  General  Williams'  army,  if  beaten  by  Breckin- 
ridge, would  have  no  choice  but  to  surrender  or  be  driven  to  the 
Mississippi.  General  B.  was  to  telegraph  his  success  to  Gen- 
eral Van  Dorn  from  Tangipahoe,  whereupon  the  latter  Gen- 
eral would  immediately  join  him  with  5,000  more  troops  and 
march  down  the  levee  to  New  Orleans  (where  Geenral  Butler 
was  lying  with  from  3,000  to  5,000  U.  S.  troops),  escorted  by 
the  '  Arkansas,'  and  on  arriving  there  the  Baton  Rouge  pro- 


98  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

gram  was  to  be  repeated;  unless  General  Butler  should  escape 
to  Fort  Jackson  and  the  remnant  of  the  U.  S.  fleet  do  the  same 
without  battle.  In  any  event  we  would  have  regained  New  Or- 
leans and  the  railroads  centering  there,  and  guarded  by  the  '  Ar- 
kansas '  have  proceeded  to  fortify  below  the  city  to  secure  it.  I 
never  knew  a  simpler  or  more  feasible  project,  and  you  know 
from  history  how  near  it  came  to  fruition  and  what  defeated  it. 
General  Breckinridge  did  his  part  of  the  work  and  drove  Wil- 
liams' forces  to  the  bank  of  the  river.  The  '  Arkansas/  also, 
was  true  to  time  and  had  reached  a  point  but  six  or  eight  miles 
from  Baton  Rouge  on  the  morning  of  the  battle,  and  would  have 
been  there  in  an  hour,  when  its  main  shaft  snapped  in  two.  Of 
course,  it  was  impossible  to  repair  it,  and  just  then  the  '  Essex/ 
having  seen  her  smoke  above  the  bend  and  steamed  up  to  see 
what  it  was,  the  commander  of  the  '  Arkansas '  and  crew  could 
do  nothing  but  leave  in  his  small  boats  and  burn  up  the  vessel 
to  prevent  her  falling  into  the  enemy's  hands,  which  he  did.  The 
history  of  the  war,  and  especially  the  career  of  General  Van  Dorn, 
would  have  been  radically  changed  but  for  that  broken  shaft. 
'  The  conqueror  of  New  Orleans/  amidst  the  frantic  plaudits  of 
the  Confederacy,  would  (as  soon  as  New  Orleans  was  fortified, 
say  in  two  months)  have  repeated  this  operation  at  Memphis  and 
St.  Louis,  and  by  ascending  the  Ohio  to  Louisville  and  Cincin- 
nati have  compelled  the  whole  U.  S.  Army  in  Tennessee  to  fall 
back  to  that  river,  thus  freeing  Tennessee  and  Kentucky. 

"  It  was  on  the  night  after  the  battle  of  Baton  Rouge  that  Gen- 
eral Van  Dorn,  having  to  his  astonishment  received  no  message 
from  General  Breckinridge,  sent  me  and  others  to  that  General's 
camp.  It  had  been  the  habit  of  the  Jackson  papers  to  publish 
every  movement  of  troops,  though  repeatedly  remonstrated  with ; 
and  it  was  all  important  to  get  General  Breckinridge  and  the 
'  Arkansas '  to  Baton  Rouge  before  the  enemy  knew  of  the 
movement ;  otherwise  Butler's  army  at  New  Orleans  would  have 
joined  Williams  and  fortified,  and  together  they  could  have  set 
General  B.  at  defiance.  The  Jackson  papers  would  have  in- 
formed the  public  of  this  movement  down  the  river,  and  General 
Butler's  intelligence  would  immediately  have  disclosed  to  him 
the  whole  project.  And  you  now  see  how  important  it  was  to 
declare  martial  law  if  only  for  a  few  weeks,  until  the  foregoing 
enterprise  was  an  accomplished  fact. 


Vicksburg.  99 

"And  now  to  return  to  my  trip  to  Baton  Rouge:  General 
Breckinridge  was  to  have  atacked  on  August  5th  (as  he  did), 
and  General  Van  Dorn  confidently  looked  all  day  of  the  6th  for 
a  telegram  announcing  the  capture  of  Williams'  army  and  the 
destruction  or  flight  of  his  fleet.  Through  the  entire  day  he 
chafed  like  an  impatient  lion  until  I  left  his  house  at  supper  time 
to  go  to  my  own.  About  midnight  I  was  awakened  by  Milton 
(his  body  servant)  to  say  that  the  General  wished  to  see  me  at 
once.  Hastening  to  his  house,  I  found  him  alone,  and  he  in- 
formed me  that  Breckinridge  had  fought  a  successful  battle  but 
the  '  Arkansas  '  had  failed  to  appear  and  therefore  would  not 
follow  up  his  victory,  as  the  U.  S.  fleet  repelled  him  from  the 
river  bank.  That  Breckinridge  had  lost  heavily  in  officers ;  that 
he  (Van  Dorn)  had  ordered  Colonels  Lomax  and  Dillon  of  our 
staff  to  go  immediately  to  Baton  Rouge  and  order  Breckinridge 
to  renew  his  attack  as  the  '  Arkansas '  would  surely  appear, 
something  having  delayed  her  arrival.  That  he  did  not  wish  to 
lose  a  day  or  an  hour,  and  wished  me  to  go  also,  and  no  matter 
what  the  other  gentlemen  did  I  was  to  press  right  on  to  Breckin- 
ridge's  camp  and  deliver  my  orders,  and  offer  my  services  to  the 
General  to  lead  the  storming  column  into  Baton  Rouge.  That 
within  an  hour  a  special  train  would  be  in  readiness  to  carry  us 
and  our  horses  to  Tangipahoe.  I  at  once  expressed  my  perfect 
willingness  to  go,  but  called  his  attention  to  the  fact  that  at  the 
moment  I  was  unprovided  with  a  horse,  not  having  bought  one 
since  the  raising  of  the  siege  of  Vicksburg  the  week  before.  '  I 
have  thought  of  that,'  replied  he,  '  and  have  directed  Milton  to 
put  "  San  Antonio  "  on  the  train  for  you.'  (This  horse  was  the 
beautiful  thoroughbred  animal  presented  to  General  Van  Dorn 
by  the  city  of  San  Antonio,  a  splendid  horse  and  ever  a  favorite 
with  his  owner).  'But,  General,'  remonstrated  I,  'this  is  a 
very  valuable  animal,  and  I  may  very  likely  get  him  killed  or 
maimed,  for  you  may  be  very  certain  that  as  I  shall  not  spare 
myself  I  shall  not  spare  "  San  Anontio."  I  have  never  forgotten 
the  military  pride  that  flashed  from  his  bright  blue  eyes  as  he 
rejoined,  '  And  you,  sir,  may  feel  very  certain  that  when  I  risk 
you  to  go  I  do  not  mind  risking  "  San  Antonio."  :  And  suit- 
ing the  action  to  the  word  he  turned  to  the  sideboard  on  which 
stood  a  decanter  of  wine  and  some  glasses,  and  added,  '  Come, 
let  us  take  a  parting  drink  together ;  "  the  paths  of  glory  lead  but 


ioo  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

to  the  grave ;"  ' — and  cordially  parting  I  hastened  on  my  way.  The 
sequel  of  it  was  that  we  reached  Tangipahoe  about  seven  o'clock 
next  morning,  and  finding  that  Dillon  and  Lomax  were  going  to 
rest  their  horses  until  ten,  I  and  '  San  Antonio  '  took  a  hasty 
breakfast  and  got  off  at  eight,  rode  all  day  and  got  into  General 
Breckinridge's  camp  at  just  eight  that  evening,  having  made 
what  they  called  eighty-four  miles, — but  I  thought  it  eighty, — in 
exactly  twelve  hours.  At  the  time  it  was  thought  a  remarkable 
ride.  The  other  gentlemen  did  not  reach  there  until  noon  the 
next  day,  too  late,  for  the  battle  had  then  been  over.  But  Gen- 
eral B.  had  by  that  time  heard  of  the  destruction  of  the  '  Ar- 
kansas,' knew  it  would  be  useless  to  attack  without  her,  and  so 
very  properly  decided  to  disobey  orders,  which  I  agreed  with  him 
would  not  have  been  given  had  General  Van  Dorn  known  of  the 
above  fact.  And  so  we  all  came  leisurely  back  together,  General 
B.  sending  forward  a  courier  to  telegraph  to  General  Van 
Dorn." 

"  I  add  a  word  in  reference  to  the  proclamation  of  martial  law : 
"  As  you  are  doubtless  aware,  it  was  the  policy  of  the  Confed- 
erate Government  (in  all  the  earlier  stages  of  the  war  especially) 
to  attempt  to  force  France  and  England,  particularly  the  latter,  to 
recognize  our  Confederacy,  by  a  cotton  famine.  In  pursuance  of 
this  policy  all  department  commanders  in  the  cotton  states  were 
expressly  ordered  to  use  the  utmost  vigilance  to  prevent  the  ex- 
portation of  any  cotton,  excepting  of  course  what  the  Government 
itself  exported  in  order  to  buy  ships,  arms,  ammunition,  etc., 
abroad. 

"  General  Van  Dorn,  when  he  went  to  Mississippi,  found  a  brisk 
trade  going  on  with  New  Orleans  and  Memphis  in  this  com- 
modity, and  do  what  he  could,  with  our  extensive  frontier  from 
the  Tennessee  line  down  the  river  and  around  by  the  Gulf  to  the 
Alabama  line,  he  could  not  prevent  it.  He  caught  some  parties, 
who  immediately  got  out  writs  of  habeas  corpus;  and  in  short 
he  was  powerless  to  use  the  courts  effectively  to  prevent  this  con- 
traband trade.  Determined  to  stop  it,  he  declared  martial  law, 
for,  in  addition  to  the  trade,  he  found  that  under  cover  of  it, 
United  States  spies  discovered,  as  soon  as  our  own  soldiers,  every 
movement  of  our  troops,  and  their  positions,  and  he  was  engaged 
in  making  preparations  for  the  movement  on  Baton  Rouge  under 
General  Breckinridge,  and  through  it  the  recovery  of  the  Mis- 


Vicksburg.  101 

sissippi  River  including  New  Orleans;  and  this  design  must  of 
necessity  have  succeeded  but  for  the  accident  to  the  ironclad  ram 
'  Arkansas,'  just  above  Baton  Rouge,  on  the  very  day  that  the 
victorious  Breckinridge  had  jammed  the  whole  of  Butler's  army 
(excepting  a  thousand  or  fifteen  hundred  men  in  New  Orleans, 
to  resist  our  5,000),  in  a  panic-stricken,  disorganized,  and  cower- 
ing mass,  down  to  the  river  bank  at  Baton  Rouge,  under  the  pro- 
tection of  their  wooden  fleet,  which  was  to  have  been  destroyed 
by  the  terrible  armament  of  the  ironclad  '  Arkansas/ 

'  These  were  General  Van  Dorn's  reasons.  He  then  at  once  put 
a  stop  to  the  whole  cotton  trade  and  did  actually  surprise  But- 
ler's army  at  Baton  Rouge.  So  effectively  was  it  stopped,  that 
General  B.  F.  Butler's  brother  came  within  our  lines  under 
flag  of  truce,  ostensibly  about  an  exchange  of  prisoners  (and  we 
sent  two  officers  to  New  Orleans  on  the  same  business,  where 
they  dined  with  General  Butler),  but  really  to  intimate  to  General 
Van  Dorn  that  he  and  another  party  (a  name  was  given  which  is 
not  now  remembered)  were  engaged  in  this  cotton  speculation; 
that  they  were  willing  to  give  General  Van  Dorn:  (i)  im- 
mense prices  for  all  cotton  he  would  sell  them;  (2)  to  give  him 
large  sums  of  money  to  wink  at  their  trade,  and  (3)  to  pay  in 
quinine,  salt,  medical  stores,  clothing,  or  anything  he  (General 
Van  Dorn)  might  select.  In  fact,  he  intimated  that  the  name  of 
the  partner  given  us  was  fictitious,  and  that  his  brother,  the  Gen- 
eral, was  really  the  partner  in  the  business.  It  is  unnecssary  to 
say  that  General  Van  Dorn  refused  the  three  offers  peremptorily. 
He  jn formed  me  of  this  at  the  time.  President  Davis  disap- 
proved the  martial  law  order  and  that  was  the  end  of  it." 

GRANT'S  INTERESTING  STATEMENT  OF  HIS  OPERATIONS  IN  FRONT  OF 
AND  BELOW  VICKSBURG. 

"  On  the  24th  (of  April,  1863)  my  headquarters  were  with 
the  advance  at  Perkins'  Plantation.  Reconnoissances  were  made  in 
boats  to  ascertain  whether  there  was  high  land  on  the  east  shore 
of  the  river  where  we  might  land  above  Grand  Gulf.  There  was 
none  practicable.  Accordingly  the  troops  were  set  in  motion  for 
Hard  Times,  twenty-two  miles  farther  down  the  river  and  nearly 
opposite  Grand  Gulf.  The  loss  of  two  steamers  and  six  barges 
reduced  our  transportation  so  that  only  10,000  men  could  be 


IO2  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

moved  by  water.  Some  of  the  steamers  that  had  got  below  were 
injured  in  their  machinery,  so  that  they  were  only  useful  as 
barges  towed  by  those  less  severely  injured.  All  the  troops, 
therefore,  except  what  could  be  transported  in  one  trip,  had  to 
march.  The  road  lay  west  of  Lake  St.  Joseph.  Three  .large 
bayous  had  to  be  crossed.  They  were  rapidly  bridged  in  the 
same  manner  as  those  previously  encountered. 

"  On  the  27th  McClernand's  corps  was  all  at  Hard  Times,  and 
McPherson  was  following  closely.  I  had  determined  to  make 
the  attempt  to  effect  a  landing  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  as 
soon  as  possible.  Accordingly,  on  the  morning  of  the  29th,  Mc- 
Clernand  was  directed  to  embark  all  the  troops  from  his  corps 
that  our  transports  and  barges  could  carry.  About  10,000  men 
were  so  embarked.  The  plan  was  to  have  the  navy  silence  the 
guns  at  Grand  Gulf,  and  to  have  as  many  men  as  possible  ready 
to  debark  in  the  shortest  possible  time  under  cover  of  the  fire  of 
the  navy  and  carry  the  works  by  storm.  The  following  order 
was  issued: 

"  '  PERKINS'  PLANTATION,  LA., 

"  '  April  27,  1863. 

" '  MAJOR-GENERAL    J.    A.    MCCLERNAND,    Commanding    I3th 
A.  C: 

"  '  Commence  immediately  the  embarkation  of  your  corps,  or  so 
much  of  it  as  there  is  transportation  for.  Have  put  aboard  the 
artillery  and  every  article  authorized  in  orders  limiting  baggage, 
except  the  men,  and  hold  them  in  readiness,  with  their  places 
assigned,  to  be  moved  at  a  moment's  warning. 

"  '  All  the  troops  you  may  have,  except  those  ordered  to  remain 
behind,  send  to  a  point  opposite  Grand  Gulf,  where  you  see,  by 
special  orders  of  this  date,  General  McPherson  is  ordered  to  send 
one  division. 

"  '  The  plan  of  the  attack  will  be  for  the  navy  to  attack  and 
silence  all  the  batteries  commanding  the  river.  Your  corps  will  be 
on  the  river,  ready  to  run  to  and  debark  on  the  nearest  eligible 
land  below  the  promontory  first  brought  to  view  passing  down  the 
river.  Once  on  shore,  have  each  commander  instructed  before- 
hand to  form  his  men  the  best  the  ground  will  admit  of,  and  take 
possession  of  the  most  commanding  points,  but  avoid  separating 
your  command  so  that  it  cannot  support  itself.  The  first  object 
is  to  get  a  foothold  where  our  troops  can  maintain  themselves 


Vicksburg.  103 

until  such  time  as  preparations  can  be  made  and  troops  collected 
for  a  forward  movement. 

"  '  Admiral  Porter  has  proposed  to  place  his  boats  in  the  posi- 
tion indicated  to  you  a  few  days  ago,  and  to  bring  over  with  them 
such  troops  as  may  be  below  the  city  after  the  guns  of  the  enemy 
are  silenced. 

'  It  may  be  that  the  enemy  will  occupy  positions  back  from  the 
city,  out  of  range  of  the  gunboats,  so  as  to  make  it  desirable  to 
run  past  Grand  Gulf  and  land  at  Rodney.  In  case  this  should 
prove  the  plan,  a  signal  will  be  arranged  and  you  duly  informed, 
when  the  transports  are  to  start  with  this  view.  Or,  it  may  be 
expedient  for  the  boats  to  run  past,  but  not  the  men.  In  this 
case,  then,  the  transports  would  have  to  be  brought  back  to  where 
the  men  could  land  and  move  by  forced  marches  to  below  Grand 
Gulf,  reembark  rapidly  and  proceed  to  the  latter  place.  There 
will  be  required,  then,  three  signals :  one,  to  indicate  that  the 
transports  can  run  down  and  debark  the  troops  at  Grand  Gulf; 
one,  that  the  transports  can  run  by  without  the  troops;  and  the 
last,  that  the  transports  can  run  by  with  the  troops  on  board. 

"  '  Should  the  men  have  to  march,  all  baggage  and  artillery  will 
be  left  to  run  the  blockade. 

"  '  If  not  already  directed,  require  your  men  to  keep  three  days' 
rations  in  their  haversacks,  no,t  to  be  touched  until  a  movement 
commences. 

"  '  U.  S.  GRANT, 

" '  Major-General/ 

"  At  eight  o'clock  A.  M.,  2Qth,  Porter  made  the  attack  with 
his  entire  strength  present,  eight  gunboats.  For  nearly  five  and 
a  half  hours  the  attack  was  kept  up  without  silencing  a  single 
gun  of  the  enemy.  All  this  time  McClernand's  10,000  men  were 
huddled  together  on  the  transports  in  the  stream  ready  to  at- 
tempt a  landing  if  signaled.  I  occupied  a  tug  from  which  I 
could  see  the  effect  of  the  battle  on  both  sides,  within  range  of 
the  enemy's  guns;  but  a  small  tug,  without  armament,  was  not 
calculated  to  attract  the  fire  of  batteries  while  they  were  being  as- 
sailed themselves.  About  half-past  one  the  fleet  withdrew,  see- 
ing their  efforts  were  entirely  unavailing.  The  enemy  ceased 
firing  as  soon  as  we  withdrew.  I  immediately  signaled  the  Ad- 
miral and  went  aboard  his  ship.  The  navy  lost  in  this  engage- 


104  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

ment  eighteen  killed  and  fifty-six  wounded.  A  large  proportion 
of  these  were  of  the  crew  of  the  flagship,  and  most  of  those  from 
a  single  shell  which  penetrated  the  ship's  side  and  exploded  be- 
tween decks  where  the  men  were  working  their  guns.  The  sight 
of  the  mangled  and  dying  men  which  met  my  eyes  as  I  boarded 
the  ship  was  sickening. 

"  Grand  Gulf  is  on  a  high  bluff  where  the  river  runs  at  the 
very  foot  of  it.  It  is  as  defensible  upon  its  front  as  Vicksburg 
and,  at  that  time,  would  have  been  just  as  impossible  to  capture 
by  a  front  attack.  I  therefore  requested  Porter  to  run  the  bat- 
teries with  his  fleet  that  night,  and  to  take  charge  of  the  trans- 
ports, all  of  which  would  be  wanted  below. 

"  There  is  a  long  tongue  of  land  from  the  Louisiana  side  ex- 
tending towards  Grand  Gulf,  made  by  the  river  running  nearly 
east  from  about  three  miles  above  and  nearly  in  the  opposite  di- 
rection from  that  point  from  about  the  same  distance  below.  The 
land  was  so  low  and  wet  that  it  would  not  have  been  practicable 
to  march  an  army  across  but  for  a  levee.  I  had  had  this  explored 
before,  as  well  as  the  east  bank  below,  to  ascertain  if  there  was  a 
possible  point  of  debarkation  north  of  Rodney.  It  was  found 
that  the  top  of  the  levee  afforded  a  good  road  to  march  upon. 

"  Porter,  as  was  always  the  case  with  him,  not  only  acquiesced 
in  the  plan,  but  volunteered  to  use  his  entire  fleet  as  transports. 
I  had  intended  to  make  this  request  but  he  anticipated  me.  At 
dusk  when  concealed  from  the  view  of  the  enemy  at  Grand  Gulf, 
McClernand  landed  his  command  on  the  west  bank.  The  navy 
and  transports  ran  the  batteries  successfully.  The  troops 
marched  across  the  point  of  land  under  cover  of  night,  unob- 
served. By  the  time  it  was  light  the  enemy  saw  our  whole  fleet, 
ironclads,  gunboats,  river  steamers  and  barges,  quietly  moving 
down  the  river  three  miles  below  them,  black,  or  rather  blue,  with 
National  troops. 

"  When  the  troops  debarked,  the  evening  of  the  29th,  it  was 
expected  that  we  would  have  to  go  to  Rodney,  about  nine  miles 
below,  to  find  a  landing;  but  that  night  a  colored  man  came  in 
who  informed  me  that  a  good  landing  would  be  found  at  Bruins- 
burg,  a  few  miles  above  Rodney,  from  which  point  there  was  a 
good  road  leading  to  Port  Gibson  some  twelve  miles  in  the  in- 
terior. The  information  was  found  correct,  and  our  landing  was 
effected  without  opposition. 


Vicksburg.  105 

"  Sherman  had  not  left  his  position  above  Vicksburg  yet.  On 
the  morning  of  the  2jth  I  ordered  him  to  create  a  diversion  by 
moving  his  corps  up  the  Yazoo  and  threatening  an  attack  on 
Haines'  Bluff. 

"  My  object  was  to  compel  Pemberton  to  keep  as  much  force 
about  Vicksburg  as  I  could,  until  I  could  secure  a  good  footing 
on  high  land  east  of  the  river.  The  move  was  eminently  suc- 
cessful and,  as  we  afterwards  learned,  created  great  confusion 
about  Vicksburg  and  doubts  about  our  real  design.  Sherman 
moved  the  day  of  our  attack  on  Grand  Gulf,  the  29th,  with  ten 
regiments  of  his  command  and  eight  gunboats  which  Porter  had 
left  above  Vicksburg. 

He  debarked  his  troops  and  apparently  made  every  prepara- 
tion to  attack  the  enemy  while  the  navy  bombarded  the  main 
forts  at  Haines'  Bluff.  The  move  was  made  without  a  single 
casualty  in  either  branch  of  the  service.  On  the  first  of  May 
(1863)  Sherman  received  orders  from  me  (sent  from  Hard 
Times  the  evening  of  the  29th  of  April)  to  withdraw  from  the 
front  of  Haines'  Bluff  and  follow  McPherson  with  two  divisions 
as  fast  as  he  could. 

"  I  had  established  a  depot  of  supplies  at  Perkins'  plantation. 
Now  that  all  our  gunboats  were  before  Grand  Gulf  it  was  pos- 
sible that  the  enemy  might  fit  out  boats  in  the  Big  Black  with 
improvised  armament  and  attempt  to  destroy  these  supplies.  Mc- 
Pherson was  at  Hard  Times  with  a  portion  of  his  corps,  and  the 
depot  was  protected  by  a  part  of  his  command.  The  night  of 
the  2Qth  I  directed  him  to  arm  one  of  the  transports  with  artil- 
lery and  send  it  up  to  Perkins'  plantation  as  a  guard;  and  also  to 
have  the  siege  guns  we  had  brought  along  moved  there  and  put 
in  position. 

"  The  embarkation  below  Grand  Gulf  took  place  at  De 
Shroon's  (Disheroons),  Louisiana,  six  miles  above  Bruinsburg, 
Mississippi.  Early  on  the  morning  of  3Oth  of  April  McCler- 
nand's  corps  and  one  division  of  McPherson 's  corps  were  speedily 
landed. 

"  When  this  was  effected  I  felt  a  degree  of  relief  scarcely  ever 
equaled  since.  Vicksburg  was  not  yet  taken  it  is  true,  nor  were 
its  defenders  demoralized  by  any  of  our  previous  moves.  I  was 
now  in  the  enemy's  country,  with  a  vast  river  and  the  stronghold 
of  Vicksburg  between  me  and  my  base  of  supplies.  But  I  was 


io(>  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

on  dry  ground  on  the  same  side  of  the  river  with  the  enemy. 
All  the  campaigns,  labors,  hardships  and  exposures  from  the 
month  of  December  previous,  to  this  time,  that  had  been  made 
and  endured,  were  for  the  accomplishment  of  this  one  object. 

"  I  had  with  me  the  I3th  corps,  General  McClernand  com- 
manding, and  two  brigades  of  Logan's  division  of  the  I7th  corps, 
General  McPherson  commanding — in  all  not  more  than  twenty 
thousand  men  to  commence  the  campaign  with.  These  were 
soon  reinforced  by  the  remaining  brigade  of  Logan's  division  and 
Crocker's  division  of  the  i/th  corps.  On  the  /th  of  May  I  was 
further  reinforced  by  Sherman  with  two  divisions  of  his,  the  I5th 
corps.  My  total  force  was  then  about  thirty-three  thousand  men. 

"  The  enemy  ocupied  Grand  Gulf,  Haines'  Bluff  and  Jackson 
with  a  force  of  nearly  sixty  thousand  men.  Jackson  ".s  fifty  miles 
east  of  Vicksburg  and  is  connected  with  it  by  a  railroad.  My 
first  problem  was  to  capture  Grand  Gulf  to  use  as  a  base. 

Bruinsburg  is  two  miles  from  high  ground.  The  bottom  at 
that  point  is  higher  than  most  of  the  low  land  in  the  valley  of 
the  Mississippi,  and  a  good  road  leads  to  the  bluff.  It  was 
natural  to  expect  the  garrison  from  Grand  Gulf  to  come  out  to 
meet  us  and  prevent,  if  they  could,  our  reaching  this  solid  base. 
Bayou  Pierre  enters  the  Mississippi  just  above  Bruinsburg,  and, 
as  it  is  a  navigable  stream  and  was  high  at  the  time,  in  order  to 
intercept  us  they  had  to  go  by  Port  Gibson,  the  nearest  point 
where  there  was  a  bridge  to  cross  upon.  This  more  than 
doubled  the  distance  from  Grand  Gulf  to  the  high  land  back  of 
Bruinsburg.  No  time  was  to  be  lost  in  securing  this  foothold. 
Our  transportation  was  not  sufficient  to  move  all  the  army  across 
the  river  at  one  trip,  or  even  two;  but  the  landing  of  the  I3th 
corps  and  one  division  of  the  I7th  was  effected  during  the  day, 
April  3Oth,  and  early  evening.  McQernand  was  advanced  as 
soon  as  ammunition  and  two  days'  rations  (to  last  five)  could 
be  issued  to  his  men.  The  bluffs  were  reached  an  hour  before 
sunset  and  McClernand  was  pushed  on,  hoping  to  reach  Port 
Gibson  and  save  the  bridge  spanning  the  Bayou  Pierre  before 
the  enemy  could  get  there ;  for  crossing  a  stream  in  the  presence 
of  an  enemy  is  always  difficult.  Port  Gibson,  too,  is  the  starting 
point  of  roads  to  Grand  Gulf,  Vicksburg  and  Jackson. 

"  McClernand's  advance  met  the  enemy  about  five  miles  west 
of  Port  Gibson  at  Thompson's  plantation.  There  was  some  fir- 


Vicksburg.  107 

ing  during  the  night,  but  nothing  rising  to  the  dignity  of  a  bat- 
tle until  daylight.  The  enemy  had  taken  a  strong  natural  posi- 
tion with  most  of  the  Grand  Gulf  garrison,  numbering  about 
seven  or  eight  thousand  men,  under  General  Bowen,  *His  hope 
was  to  hold  me  in  check  until  reinforcements  under  Loring  could 
reach  him  from  Vicksburg;  but  Loring  did  not  come  in  time  to 
render  much  assistance  south  of  Port  Gibson.  Two  brigades  of 
McPherson's  corps  followed  McClernand  as  fast  as  rations  and 
ammunition  could  be  issued,  and  were  ready  to  take  position  upon 
the  battle-field  whenever  the  I3th  corps  could  be  got  out  of  the 
way. 

"  The  country  in  this  part  of  Mississippi  stands  on  edge,  as  it 
were,  the  roads  running  along  the  ridges  except  when  they  oc- 
casionally pass  from  one  ridge  to  another.  Where  there  are  no 
clearings  the  sides  of  the  hills  are  covered  with  a  very  heavy 
growth  of  timber  and  with  undergrowth,  and  the  ravines  are  filled 
with  vines  and  canebrakes,  almost  impenetrable.  This  makes  it 
easy  for  an  inferior  force  to  delay,  if  not  defeat,  a  far  superior 
one. 

"  Near  the  point  selected  by  Bowen  to  defend,  the  road  to  Port 
Gibson  divides,  taking  two  ridges  which  do  not  diverge  more 
than  a  mile  or  two  at  the  widest  point.  These  roads  unite  just 
outside  the  town.  This  made  it  necessary  for  McClernand  to 
divide  his  force.  It  was  not  only  divided,  but  it  was  separated 
by  a  deep  ravine  of  the  character  above  described.  One  flank 
could  not  reinforce  the  other  except  by  marching  back  to  the 
junction  of  the  roads.  McClernand  put  the  divisions  of  Hovey, 
Carr  and  A.  J.  Smith  upon  the  right-hand  branch  and  Osterhaus 
on  the  left.  I  was  on  the  field  by  ten  A.  M.,  and  inspected  both 
flanks  in  person.  On  the  right  the  enemy,  if  not  being  pressed 
back,  was  at  least  not  repulsing  our  advance.  On  the  left,  how- 
ever, Osterhaus  was  not  faring  so  well.  He  had  been  repulsed 
with  some  loss.  As  soon  as  the  road  could  be  cleared  of  McCler- 
nand's  troops  I  ordered  up  McPherson,  who  was  close  upon  the 
rear  of  the  I3th  corps,  with  two  brigades  of  Logan's  division. 
This  was  about  noon.  I  ordered  him  to  send  one  brigade  (Gen- 
eral John  E.  Smith's  was  selected)  to  support  Osterhaus  and  to 
move  to  the  left  and  flank  the  enemy  out  of  his  position.  This 
movement  carried  the  brigade  over  a  deep  ravine  to  a  third  ridge, 

*  4,500  men. 


.io8  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

and,  when  Smith's  troops  were  seen  well  through  the  ravine, 
Osterhaus  was  directed  to  renew  his  front  attack.  It  was  suc- 
cessful and  unattended  by  heavy  loss.  The  enemy  was  sent  in 
full  retreat  on  their  right,  and  their  left  followed  before  sun- 
set. While  the  movement  to  our  left  was  going  on  frequent  re- 
quests for  reinforcements,  although  the  force  with  him  was  not 
being  pressed,  came  from  McClernand,  who  was  with  his  right 
flank.  I  had  been  upon  the  ground  and  knew  it  did  not  admit  of 
his  engaging  all  the  men  he  had.  We  followed  up  our  victory 
until  night  overtook  us  about  two  miles  from  Port  Gibson;  then 
the  troops  went  into  bivouac  for  the  night. 

"  We  started  next  morning  for  Port  Gibson  as  soon  as  it  was 
light  enough  to  see  the  road.  We  were  soon  in  the  town,  and  I 
was  delighted  to  find  that  the  enemy  had  not  stopped  to  contest 
our  crossing  further  at  the  bridge,  which  he  had  burned.  The 
troops  were  set  to  work  as  once  to  construct  a  brige  across  the 
South  Fork  of  the  Bayou  Pierre.  At  this  time  the  water  was  high 
and  the  current  rapid.  What  might  be  called  a  raft-bridge  was 
soon  constructed  from  material  obtained  from  wooden  buildings, 
stables,  fences,  etc.,  which  sufficed  for  carrying  the  whole  army 
over  safely.  Colonel  J.  H.  Wilson,  a  member  of  my  staff,  planned 
and  superintended  the  construction  of  this  bridge,  going  into  the 
water  and  working  as  hard  as  any  one  engaged.  Officers  and 
men  generally  joined  in  this  work.  When  it  was  finished  the 
army  crossed  and  marched  eight  miles  beyond  to  the  North  Fork 
that  day.  One  brigade  of  Logan's  division  was  sent  down  the 
stream  to  occupy  the  attention  of  a  rebel  battery,  which  had  been 
left  behind  with  infantry  supports  to  prevent  our  repairing  the 
burnt  railroad  bridge.  Two  of  his  brigades  were  sent  up  the 
bayou  to  find  a  crossing  and  reach  the  North  Fork  to  repair  the 
bridge  there.  The  enemy  soon  left  when  he  found  we  were 
building  a  bridge  elsewhere.  Before  leaving  Port  Gibson  we 
were  reinforced  by  Crocker's  division,  McPherson's  corps,  which 
had  crossed  the  Mississippi  at  Bruinsburg  and  come  up  without 
stopping  except  to  get  two  days'  rations.  McPherson  still  had 
one  division  west  of  the  Mississippi  River,  guarding  the  road 
from  Milliken's  Bend  to  the  river  below  until  Sherman's  command 
should  relieve  it.  ... 

"  When  the  movement  from  Bruinsburg  commenced  we  were 
without  a  wagon  train.  The  train  still  west  of  the  Mississippi 


Vicksburg.  IO9 

,  carr,ied  around  with  proper  escort,  by  a  circuitous  route  from 
Milliken  s  Bend  to  Hard  Times,  seventy  or  more  miles  below,  and 
did  not  get  up  for  some  days  after  the  battle  of  Port  Gibson.  '  My 
own  horses,  headquarters'  transportation,  servants,  mess  chest 
and  everything  except  what  I  had  on  was  with  this  train.  Gen- 
eral A.  ].  Smith  happened  to  have  an  extra  horse  at  Bruinsburg, 
which  I  borrowed  with  a  saddle  tree  without  upholstering  further 
than  stirrups.  I  had  no  other  for  nearly  a  week. 

"  It  was  necessary  to  have  transportation  for  ammunition.  Pro- 
visions could  be  taken  from  the  country ;  but  all  the  ammunition 
that  can  be  carried  on  the  person  is  soon  exhausted  when  there  is 
much  fighting.  I  directed,  therefore,  immediately  on  landing 
that  all  the  vehicles  and  draft  animals,  whether  horses,  mules,  or 
oxen,  in  the  vicinity  should  be  collected  and  loaded  to  their  capac- 
ity with  ammunition.  Quite  a  train  was  collected  during  the 
3pth,  and  a  motley  train  it  was.  In  it  could  be  found  fine  car- 
riages, loaded  nearly  to  the  top  with  boxes  of  cartridges  that  had 
been  pitched  in  promiscuously,  drawn  by  mules  with  plow- 
harness,  straw  collars,  rope  lines,  etc. ;  long-coupled  wagons, 
with  racks  for  carrying  cotton  bales,  drawn  by  oxen,  and  every- 
thing that  could  be  found  in  the  way  of  transportation  on  a  plan- 
tation either  for  use  or  pleasure.  The  making  out  of  provision  . 
returns  was  stopped  for  the  time.  No  formalities  were  to  retard 
our  progress  until  a  position  was  secured  when  the  time  could  be 
spared  to  observe  them. 

"  It  was  at  Port  Gibson  I  first  heard  through  a  Southern  paper 
of  the  complete  success  of  Colonel  Grierson,  who  was  making  a 
raid  through  Central  Mississippi.  .  .  . 

"  General  Pemberton's  report  on  the  surrender  of  Vicksburg, 
etc.,  states  that  "  I  have  been  thus  circumstantial  in  reciting  the 
incidents  connected  with  the  celebrated  raid  that  I  might  clearly 
demonstrate  the  great  deficiency,  I  may  almost  say  absence,  of 
cavalry  in  my  department  and  the  absolute  impossibility  of  pro- 
tecting my  communications,  depots,  and  even  my  most  vital  posi- 
tions, without  it ;  and,  further,  to  show  that  consequent  upon  this 
want  of  cavalry  I  was  compelled  to  employ  infantry,  and  thus 
weaken  our  forces  in  that  arm  at  other  points." 

General  Pemberton  also  says,  August  2,  1863,  "  I  wrote  to 
General  Johnston  on  March  25,  urgently  requesting  that  the  divi- 
sion of  cavalry  under  Major-General  Van  Dorn,  which  had  been 


no  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

sent  to  the  Army  of  Tennessee  for  special  and  temporary  pur- 
poses, might  be  returned  to  me." 

(From  the  Mobile  Register.) 

"  If  General  Pemberton  had  had  Van  Dorn  and  his  splendid 
division  of  cavalry  at  hand,  Grant  and  his  vandals  would  never 
have  polluted  the  soil  of  Mississippi.  Van  Dorn  and  his  gallant 
fellows  would  have  sabered  and  ridden  them  down  faster  than 
Grant  could  have  put  them  ashore.  This,  however,  was  not  per- 
mitted, General  Pemberton  was  not  allowed  to  judge  of  his  own 
necessities,  and  Van  Dorn's  cavalry  remained  with  Bragg,  while 
Mississippi  was  being  overrun  by  Grierson  and  his  marauders." 

March,  12,  1863. — To  SECRETARY  OF  WAR. 

"  General  J.  E.  Johnston  asks  if  General  Van  Dorn's  cavalry 
cannot  return.  His  forces  too  weak  to  meet  Grant's." 

January  22,  1863. — This  paper  is  signed  by  General  Sterling 
Price  and  General  Van  Dorn. 

"  In  a  conversation  two  days  ago  between  Generals  Pemberton 
and  General  Van  Dorn  and  myself,  the  following  statement  was 
made  by  General  Pemberton,  viz. :  That  100,000  men  could  not 
have  taken  Vicksburg,  and  that  since  the  attack  was  abandoned 
by  the  enemy  he  had  strengthened  his  works  of  defense  very 
much ;  that  he  could  spare  General  Bragg  8,000  men,  but  would 
not  make  the  proposieion  for  fear  of  accidents." 


FEDERAL  TELEGRAMS. 

February  13,  1863. 

Van  Dorn  is  moving  as  far  as  Florence. 
February  14,  1863. 

Van  Dorn  is  passing  north. 
February  16,  1863. 

Van  Dorn  is  crossing  the  Tennessee. 
February  22,   1863. 

Van  Dorn  has  crossed  the  river  and  is  now  with  Forrest 
and  Wheeler  at  Columbia. 


Vicksburg.  1 1 1 

May  n,  1863. 

Van  Dorn  reported  killed  by  citizen. 
June  2,  1863. 

General  Rosecrans  reports  two  of  Van  Dorn's  brigades 

sent  to  Johnston  in  Mississippi. 
June  10,  1863. 

Van  Dorn's  force,  under  Jackson,  reached  Jackson  (Miss.) 

last  Friday. 
June  12,  1863. 

Van  Dorn's  old  command  at  Bolton  Depot. 
June  17,  1863. 

Van  Dorn's  old  command,  19,000  strong,  under  Wheeler 
and  Morgan,  crossing  to  unite  with  troops  coming 
from  Jackson. 


H2  A  Soldier's  Honor. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


CORINTH. 


"  For  that  day 

Saw  many  a  Trojan  slain,  and  many  a  Greek 
Stretched  side  by  side  upon  the  bloody  field." 

DESTINY  has  two  ways  of  dealing  with  us,  one  by  granting  our 
prayers  and  the  other  by  refusing  them, — our  safety  lying  alone 
in  leaving  all  to  the  will  of  God.  Is  there  one  who  doubts  that 
He  rules  the  nations,  stills  the  tempests,  numbers  the  stars  and 
takes  notice  of  a  sparrow  that  falls?  Is  there  one  who  doubts 
that  had  our  wishes  been  granted  in  the  struggle  between  the 
States,  that  only  warfare  and  confusion  would  have  resulted 
instead  of  the  continued  combined  power  which  the  country  now 
wields  among  the  nations  of  the  earth?  When  man  fails  in  his 
purposes,  no  matter  what  combinations,  or  labor,  or  zeal,  he  may 
exercise,  it  is  called  "  providence,"  "  ill  luck,"  so  that  to  invariably 
succeed  he  must  first  provide  himself  with  good  luck  against 
chance  or  accident,  and  defy  the  will  of  the  higher  power  that 
governs  our  affairs  and  orders  His  divine  schemes  for  the  good 
of  the  world.  Accident  plays  a  large  part  in  the  affairs  of  men, 
as  the  most  successful  among  them  admit,  and  few  commanders 
of  battles,  or  men  of  state,  have  escaped  being  Jed  through  acci- 
dent or  chance  to  victory  or  defeat. 

For  the  sake  of  truth,  and  in  justice  to  the  commanding  officers, 
as  well  as  to  correct  stupendous  errors  constantly  made  regarding 
the  bloody  assault  upon  Corinth  and  its  outposts,  October  3d, 
4th  and  5th,  1862,  as  well  as  for  the  sake  of  comparison,  and  to 
give  the  opportunity  to  glean  facts  connected  with  that  battle,  the 
official  reports  of  General  Van  Dorn,  General  Price,  General  Rose- 
crans,  and  General  Qrant  are  here  reproduced  at  length. 


Corinth.  113 

OFFICIAL  REPORT  OF  THE  BATTLE  OF  CORINTH  OCT.  3,  4,  1862. 

"  HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  WEST  TENNESSEE, 

"  HOLLY  SPRINGS,  Miss.,  October  20,  1862. 

"  GENERAL  : — I  have  the  honor  to  make  the  following  report 
of  the  battle  of  Corinth : 

"  Having  established  batteries  at  Port  Hudson,  secured  the 
mouth  of  Red  River  and  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi  River 
to  Vicksburg,  I  turned  my  special  attention  to  affairs  in  the 
northern  portion  of  my  district. 

"  On  August  30  I  received  a  despatch  from  General  Bragg,  in- 
forming me  that  he  was  about  to  march  into  Kentucky  and  would 
leave  to  General  Price  and  myself  the  enemy  in  West  Tennessee. 

14  On  September  4  I  received  a  communication  from  General 
Price,  in  which  was  inclosed  a  copy  of  the  despatch  from  General 
Bragg,  above  named,  making  an  offer  to  cooperate  with  me.  At 
this  time  General  Breckinridge  was  operating  on  the  Mississippi 
River  between  Baton  Rouge  and  Port  Hudson  with  all  the  avail- 
able force  I  had  for  the  field ;  therefore  I  could  not  accept  Gen- 
eral Price's  proposition.  Upon  the  return,  however,  of  General 
Breckinridge  I  immediately  addressed  General  Price,  giving  him 
my  views  in  full  in  regard  to  the  campaign  in  West  Tennessee, 
and  stating  that  I  was  then  ready  to  join  him  with  all  my  troops. 

"  In  the  meantime  orders  were  received  by  him  from  General 
Bragg  to  follow  Rosecrans  across  the  Tennessee  River  into 
Middle  Tennessee,  whither  it  was  then  supposed  he  had  gone. 
Upon  the  receipt  of  this  intelligence  I  felt  at  once  that  all  my 
hopes  of  accomplishing  anything  in  West  Tennessee  with  my 
small  force  were  marred.  I  nevertheless  moved  up  to  Davis's 
Mill,  a  few  miles  from  Grand  Junction,  Tennessee,  with  the  In- 
tention of  defending  my  district  to  the  best  of  my  ability,  and  to 
make  a  demonstration  in  favor  of  General  Price,  to  which  latter 
end  also  I  marched  my  whole  command  on  September  20  to 
within  7  miles  of  Bolivar,  driving  three  brigades  of  the  enemy 
back  to  that  place  and  forcing  the  return  to  Corinth  of  one  divi- 
sion (Ross's)  which  had  been  sent  there  to  strengthen  Grant's 
army. 

"  General  Price,  in  obedience  to  his  orders,  marched  in  the 
direction  of  luka  to  cross  the  Tennessee,  but  was  not  long  in  dis- 
covering that  Rosecrans  had  not  crossed  that  stream.    This  officer, 
in  connection  with  Grant,  attacked  him  on  September  ig:  and 
8 


H4  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

compelled  him  to  fall  back  toward  Baldwyn,  on  the  Mobile  and 
Ohio  Railroad. 

"  On  the  25th  day  of  the  same  month  I  received  a  despatch  by 
courier  from  General  Price,  stating  that  he  was  at  Baldwyn  and 
was  then  ready  to  join  me  with  his  forces  in  an  attack  on  Corinth, 
as  had  been  previously  suggested  by  me. 

"  We  met  at  Ripley  on  September  28,  according  to  agreement, 
and  marched  the  next  morning  toward  Pocahontas,  which  place 
we  reached  on  October  i. 

"  From  all  the  information  I  could  obtain  the  following  was  the 
situation  of  the  Federal  army  at  that  time :  Sherman  at  Memphis 
with  about  6,000  men;  Hurlbut  (afterward  Ord)  at  Bolivar  with 
about  8,000;  Grant's  headquarters  at  Jackson  with  about  3,000; 
Rosecrans  at  Corinth  with  about  15,000,  together  with  the  follow- 
ing outposts,  viz.:  Rienzi,  2,500;  Burnsville,  Jacinto,  and  luka 
about  6,000;  at  important  bridges  and  on  garrison  duty  about 
2,000  or  3,000,  making  in  the  aggregate  about  42,000  men  in 
West  Tennessee.  Memphis,  Jackson,  Bolivar  and  Corinth  were 
fortified,  the  works  mounting  siege  guns ;  the  outposts  slightly 
fortified,  having  fieldpieces.  Memphis,  Bolivar,  and  Corinth  are 
on  the  arc  of  a  circle,  the  chord  of  which  from  Memphis  to 
Corinth  makes  an  angle  with  the  due  east  r.bout  15  degress  south. 
Bolivar  is  about  equidistant  from  Memphis  and  Corinth,  some- 
what nearer  the  latter,  and  is  at  the  intersection  of  the  Hatchie 
River  and  the  Mississippi  Central  and  Ohio  Railroad.  Corinth 
is  the  strongest  but  the  most  salient  point. 

"  Surveying  the  whole  field  of  operations  before  me  calmly  and 
dispassionately,  the  conclusion  forced  itself  irresistibly  upon  my 
mind  that  the  taking  of  Corinth  was  a  condition  precedent  to  the 
accomplishment  of  anything  of  importance  in  West  Tennessee. 
To  take  Memphis  would  be  to  destroy  an  immense  amount  of  prop- 
erty without  an  adequate  military  advantage,  even  admitting 
that  it  could  be  held  without  heavy  guns  against  the  enemy's  gun 
and  mortar  boats.  The  line  of  fortifications  around  Bolivar  is  in- 
tersected by  the  Hatchie  River,  rendering  it  impossible  to  take 
the  place  by  quick  assault,  and  reinforcements  could  be  thrown 
in  from  Jackson  by  railroad,  and  situated  as  it  is  in  the  reentrant 
angle  of  the  three  fortified  places,  an  advance  upon  it  would  ex- 
pose both  my  flanks  and  rear  to  an  attack  from  the  forces  at 
Memphis  and  Corinth.  It  was  clear  to  my  mind  that  if  a  success- 


Corinth. 

fut  attack  could  be  made  upon  Corinth  from  the  west  and  north- 
west, the  forces  there  driven  back  on  the  Tennessee  and  cut  off, 
Bolivar  and  Jackson  would  easily  fall,  and  then,  upon  the  arrival 
of  the  exchanged  prisoners  of  war,  West  Tennessee  would  soon  be 
in  our  possession  and  communication  with  General  Bragg  effected 
through  Middle  Tennessee.  The  attack  on  Corinth  was  a  military 
necessity,  requiring  prompt  and  vigorous  action.  It  was  being 
strengthened  daily  under  that  astute  soldier  General  Rosecrans. 
Convalescents  were  returning  to  fill  his  ranks,  new  levies  were 
arriving  to  increase  his  brigades,  and  fortifications  were  being 
constructed  at  new  points,  and  it  was  very  evident  that  unless  a 
sudden  and  vigorous  blow  could  be  struck  there  at  once  no  hope 
could  be  entertained  of  driving  the  enemy  from  a  base  of  opera- 
tions so  convenient  that  in  the  event  of  misfortune  to  Bragg  in 
Kentucky  the  whole  valley  of  the  Mississippi  would  be  lost  to  us 
before  winter.  To  have  waited  for  the  arrival,  arming,  clothing, 
and  organization  of  the  exchanged  prisoners  would  have  been  to 
wait  for  the  enemy  to  strengthen  themselves  more  than  we  could 
possibly  do. 

"  With  these  reflections  and  after  mature  deliberation  I  deter- 
mined to  attempt  Corinth.  I  had  a  reasonable  hope  of  success. 
Field  returns  at  Ripley  showed  my  strength  to  be  about  22,000 
men.  Rosecrans  at  Corinth  had  about  15,000,  with  about  8,000 
additional  men  at  outposts  from  12  to  15  miles  distant.  I  might 
surprise  him  and  carry  the  place  before  these  troops  could  be 
brought  in.  I  therefore  marched  toward  Pocahontas,  threaten- 
ing Bolivar ;  then  turned  suddenly  across  the  Hatchie  and  Tuscum- 
bia  and  attacked  Corinth  without  hesitation,  and  did  surprise  that 
place  before  the  outpost  garrisons  were  called  in.  It  was  neces- 
sary that  this  blow  should  be  sudden  and  decisive,  and  if  un- 
successful that  I  should  withdraw  rapidly  from  the  position  be- 
tween the  two  armies  of  Ord  and  Rosecrans.  The  troops  were 
in  fine  spirits  and  the  whole  army  of  West  Tennessee  seemed 
eager  to  emulate  the  Armies  of  the  Potomac  and  of  Kentucky. 
No  army  ever  marched  to  battle  with  prouder  steps,  more  hope- 
ful countenances,  or  with  more  courage  than  marched  the  Army 
of  West  Tennessee  out  of  Ripley  on  the  morning  of  September  30, 
on  its  way  to  Corinth. 

"  Fully  alive  to  the  responsibility  of  my  position  as  commander 
of  the  army,  and  after  mature  and  deliberate  reflection,  the  march 


n6  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

was  ordered.  The  ground  was  well  known  to  me  and  required  no 
study  to  determine  where  to  make  the  attack.  The  bridge  over 
the  Hatchie  was  soon  reconstructed  and  the  army  crossed  at  4 
A.  M.  on  October  2.  Adams'  brigade  of  cavalry  was  left  here 
to  guard  this  approach  to  our  rear  and  to  protect  the  train,  which 
was  parked  between  the  Hatchie  and  Tuscumbia.  Colonel 
Hawkins'  regiment  of  infantry  and  Captain  Dawson's  battery  of 
artillery  were  also  left  on  the  Bone  Yard  road,  in  easy  supporting 
distance  of  the  bridge.  The  army  bivouacked  at  Chewalla  after 
the  driving  in  of  some  pickets  from  that  vicinity  by  Armstrong's 
and  Jackson's  cavalry.  This  point  is  about  10  miles  from  Corinth. 

"  At  daybreak  on  the  3d  the  march  was  resumed,  the  pre- 
caution having  been  taken  to  cut  the  railroad  between  Corinth  and 
Jackson,  which  was  done  by  a  squadron  of  Armstrong's  cavalry. 
Lovell's  division  in  front  kept  the  road  on  the  south  side  of  the 
Memphis  and  Charleston  Railroad.  Price,  after  marching  on 
the  same  road  about  5  miles,  turned  to  the  left,  crossine  the  rail- 
road, and  formed  line  of  battle  in  front  of  the  outer  line  of  in- 
trenchments  and  about  3  miles  from  Corinth.  Lovell  formed 
line  of  battle,  after  some  heavy  skirmishing — having  to  construct 
a  passage  across  the  dry  bed  of  Indian  Creek  for  his  artillery 
under  fire — on  the  right  and  in  front  of  the  same  line  of  intrench- 
ments. 

"  The  following  was  the  first  order  of  battle :  The  three  bri- 
gades of  Lovell's  division — Villepigue's,  Bowen's  and  Rust's — in 
line,  with  reserves  in  rear  of  each;  Jackson's  cavalry  brigade  on 
the  right  en  echelon,  the  left  flank  of  the  division  on  the  Charles- 
ton Railroad ;  Price's  corps  on  the  left,  with  the  right  flank  resting 
on  the  same  road ;  Maury's  division  on  the  right,  with  Moore's 
and  Phifer's  brigades  in  line,  Cabell's  in  reserve;  Hebert's  divi- 
sion on  the  left,  with  Gates'  and  Martin's  brigades  in  line,  Col- 
bert's in  reserve ;  Armstrong's  cavalry  brigade  on  the  extreme  left 
somewhat  detached  and  out  of  view.  Hebert's  left  was  masked 
behind  a  timbered  ridge,  with  orders  not  to  bring  it  into  action 
until  the  last  moment.  This  was  done  in  hopes  of  inducing  the 
enemy  to  weaken  his  right  by  reinforcing  his  center  and  left — 
where  the  attack  was  first  to  be  made — that  his  right  might  be 
forced. 

"At  10  o'clock  all  skirmislhers  were  driven  into  the  intrench - 
ments  and  the  two  armies  were  in  line  of  battle,  confronting  each 


Corinth.  117 

other  in  force.  A  belt  of  fallen  timber,  or  abatis,  about  400  yards 
in  width,  extended  along  the  whole  line  of  intrenchments.  This 
was  to  be  crossed. 

'  The  attack  was  commenced  on  the  right  by  Lovell's  division 
and  extended  gradually  to  the  left,  and  by  1.30  o'clock  the  whole 
line  of  outer  works  was  carried,  several  pieces  of  artillery  being 
taken.  The  enemy  made  several  ineffectual  efforts  to  hold  their 
ground,  forming  line  of  battle  at  advantageous  points  and  resisting 
obstinately  our  advance  to  the  second  line  of  detached  works. 

"  I  had  been  in  hopes  that  one  day's  operations  would  end  the 
contest  and  decide  who  should  be  the  victors  on  this  bloody  field, 
but  a  10  miles'  march  over  a  parched  country,  on  dusty  roads, 
without  water,  getting  into  line  of  battle  in  forests  with  under- 
growth, and  the  more  than  equal  activity  and  determined  courage 
displayed  by  the  enemy,  commanded  by  one  of  the  ablest  generals 
of  the  United  States  Army,  who  threw  all  possible  obstacles  in  our 
way  that  an  active  mind  could  suggest,  prolonged  the  battle  until 
I  saw  with  regret  the  sun  sink  behind  the  horizon  as  the  last  shot 
of  our  sharpshooters  followed  the  retreating  foe  into  their  inner- 
most lines.  One  hour  more  of  daylight  and  victory  would  have 
soothed  our  grief  for  the  loss  of  the  gallant  dead  who  sleep  on 
that  lost  but  not  dishonored  field.  The  army  slept  on  their  arms 
within  600  yards  of  Corinth,  victorious  so  far. 

"  During  the  night  three  batteries  were  ordered  to  take  position 
on  the  ridge  overlooking  the  town  from  the  west,  just  where  the 
hills  dip  into  the  flat  extending  into  the  railroad  depot,  with  in- 
structions to  open  on  the  town,  at  4  A.  M.  Hebert,  on  the  left, 
was  ordered  to  mask  part  of  his  division  on  his  left ;  to  put  Cabell's 
brigade  en  echelon  on  the  left  also,  Cabell's  brigade  being  de- 
tached from  Maury's  division  for  this  purpose ;  to  move  Arm- 
strong's cavalry  brigade  across  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  Railroad,  and 
if  possible  to  get  some  of  his  artillery  in  position  across  the  road. 
In  this  order  of  battle  he  was  directed  to  attack  at  daybreak  with 
his  whole  force,  swinging  his  left  flank  in  towards  Corinth  and 
advance  down  the  Purdy  Ridge.  Lovell — on  the  extreme  right, 
with  two  of  his  brigades  in  line  of  battle  and  one  in  reserve,  with 
Jackson's  cavalry  on  the  extreme  right  on  College  Hill,  his  left 
flank  resting  on  the  Memphis  and  Charleston  Railroad — was  or- 
dered to  await  in  this  order  or  to  feel  his  way  along  slowly  with 
his  sharpshooters  until  Hebert  was  heavily  engaged  with  the  ene- 


Ii8  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

my  on  the  left.  He  was  then  to  move  rapidly  to  the  assault  and 
force  his  right  inward  across  the  low  grounds  southwest  of  town. 
The  center,  under  Maury,  was  to  move  at  the  same  time  quickly  to 
the  front  and  directly  at  Corinth.  Jackson  was  directed  to  burn 
the  railroad  bridge  over  the  Tennessee  during  the  night. 

"  Daylight  came  and  there  was  no  attack  on  the  left.  A  staff 
officer  was  sent  to  Hebert  to  inquire  the  cause.  That  officer  could 
not  be  found.  Another  messenger  was  sent  and  a  third;  and 
about  7  o'clock  General  Hebert  came  to  my  headquarters  and  re- 
ported sick.  General  Price  then  put  Brigadier-General  Green 
in  command  of  the  left  wing,  and  it  was  8  o'clock  before  th: 
proper  dispositions  for  the  attack  at  this  point  were  made.  In 
the  meantime  the  troops  of  Maury 's  left  became  engaged  with  the 
enemy's  sharpshooters  and  the  battle  was  brought  on  and  extended 
along  the  whole  center  and  left  wing,  and  I  regretted  to  observe 
that  my  whole  plan  of  attack  was  by  this  unfortunate  delay  dis- 
arranged. One  brigade  after  another  went  gallantly  into  the 
action,  and  pushing  forward  through  direct  and  cross  fire  over 
every  obstacle,  reached  Corinth  and  planted  their  colors  on  the 
last  stronghold  of  the  enemy.  A  hand-to-hand  contest  was  being 
enacted  in  the  very  yard  of  General  Rosecran's  headquarters  and 
in  the  streets  of  the  town.  The  heavy  guns  were  silenced  and  all 
seemed  about  to  be  ended,  when  a  heavy  fire  from  fresh  troops 
from  luka,  Burnsville,  and  Rienzi,  that  had  succeeded  in  reaching 
Corinth  in  time,  poured  into  our  thinned  ranks.  Exhausted  from 
loss  of  sleep,  wearied  from  hard  marching  and  fighting,  com- 
panies and  regiments  without  officers,  our  troops — let  no  one  cen-- 
sure  them — gave  way.  The  day  was  lost. 

"  Lovell's  division  was  at  this  time  advancing  pursuant  to 
orders,  and  was  on  the  point  of  assaulting-  the  works  when  he 
received  my  orders  to  throw  one  of  his  brigades  (Villepigue's) 
rapidly  to  the  center  to  cover  the  broken  ranks  thrown  back  from 
Corinth  and  to  prevent  a  sortie.  He  then  moved  his  whole  divi- 
sion to  the  left  and  was  soon  afterward  ordered  to  move  slowly 
back  and  take  position  on  Indian  Creek  and  prevent  the  enemy 
from  turning  our  flank.  The  center  and  left  were  withdrawn  on 
the  same  road  on  which  they  approached,  and  being  somewhat  in 
confusion  on  account  of  the  loss  of  officers,  fatigue,  thirst,  want 
of  sleep,  thinned  ranks,  and  the  nature  of  the  ground,  Ville- 
pigue's brigade  was  brought  in  opportunely  and  covered  the  rear 


Corinth. 

to  Chewalla.  Lovell  came  in  rear  of  the  whole  army,  and  all 
bivouacked  again  at  Chewalla.  No  enemy  disturbed  the  sleep  of 
the  weary  troops. 

During  the  night  I  had  a  bridge  constructed  over  the  Tuscum- 
bia  and  sent  Armstrong's  and  Jackson's  cavalry  with  a  battery  of 
artillery  to  seize  and  hold  Rienzi  until  the  army  came  up,  intend- 
ing to  march  to  and  hold  that  point;  but  after  consultation  with 
General  Price,  who  represented  his  troops  to  be  somewhat  dis- 
organized, it  was  deemed  advisable  to  return  by  the  same  route 
we  came  and  fall  back  toward  Ripley  and  Oxford. 

"  Anticipating  that  the  Bolivar  force  would  move  out  and  dis- 
pute my  passage  across  the  Hatchie  Bridge,  I  pushed  rapidly  on 
to  that  point  in  hopes  of  reaching  and  securing  the  bridge  before 
their  arrival,  but  I  soon  learned  by  couriers  from  Colonel  Wirt 
Adams  that  I  would  be  too  late.  .  I  nevertheless  pushed  on  with 
the  intention  of  engaging  the  enemy  until  I  could  get  my  train 
and  reserve  artillery  unparked  and  on  the  Bone  Yard  road  to  the 
crossing  at  Crum's  Mill.  This  road  branches  off  south  from  the 
State  Line  road  about  2.^/2.  miles  west  of  Tuscumbia  Bridge, 
running  south  or  up  the  Hatchie.  No  contest  of  long  duration 
could  be  made  here,  as  it  was  evident  that  the  army  of  Corinth 
would  soon  make  its  appearance  on  our  right  flank  and  rear.  The 
trains  and  reserve  artillery  were  therefore  immediately  ordered 
on  the  Bone  Yard  road,  and  orders  were  sent  to  Armstrong  and 
Jackson  to  change  their  direction  and  cover  the  front  and  flank 
of  the  trains  until  they  crossed  the  Hatchie,  and  then  to  cover 
them  in  front  until  they  were  on  the  Ripley  road.  The  enemy 
were  then  engaged  beyond  the  Hatchie  Bridge  by  small  fragments 
of  Maury's  division  as  they  could  be  hastened  up,  and  were  kept 
in  check  sufficiently  long  to  get  everything  off.  General  Ord  com- 
manded the  forces  of  the  enemy  and  succeeded  in  getting  into 
position  before  any  number  of  our  travel-worn  troops  could  get 
into  line  of  battle.  It  is  not  surprising,  therefore,  that  they  were 
driven  back  across  the  bridge;  but  they  maintained  their  posi- 
tions on  the  hills  overlooking  it  under  their  gallant  leader,  Gen- 
eral Price,  until  orders  were  sent  to  fall  back  and  take  up  their 
line  of  march  on  the  Bone  Yard  road  in  rear  of  the  whole  train. 

"  At  one  time,  fearing  that  the  enemy,  superior  in  numbers  to 
the  whole  force  I  had  in  advance  of  the  train,  would  drive  us 
back,  I  ordered  General  Lovell  to  leave  one  brigade  to  guard  the 


I2O  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

rear  at  the  Tuscumbia  Bridge  and  to  push  forward  with  the  other 
two  to  the  front.  This  order  was  quickly  executed,  and  very  soon 
the  splendid  brigades  of  Rust  and  Villepigue  made  their  appear- 
ance close  at  hand.  The  army  corps  of  General  Price  was  with- 
drawn and  Villepigue  filed  in  and  took  position  as  rear  guard 
to  the  army  against  Ord's  forces.  Rust  was  ordered  forward  to 
report  to  General  Price,  who  was  directed  to  cross  the  Hatchie  at 
Crum's  Mill  and  take  position  to  cover  the  crossing  of  the  trains 
and  artillery.  Bowen  was  left  at  Tuscumbia  Bridge  as  rear 
guard  against  the  advance  of  Rosecrans  from  Corinth,  with  orders 
to  defend  that  bridge  until  the  trains  were  unparked  and  on  the 
road,  then  to  cross  the  bridge  and  burn  it  and  to  join  Villepigue 
at  the  junction  of  the  roads.  In  the  execution  of  this  order,  and 
while  in  position  near  the  bridge,  the  head  of  the  Corinth  army 
made  its  appearance  and  engaged  him,  but  was  repulsed  with 
heavy  loss  and  in  a  manner  that  reflected  great  credit  on  General 
Bowen  and  his  brigade.  The  army  was  not  again  molested  on  its 
retreat  to  Ripley  nor  on  its  march  to  this  place. 

"  The  following  was  found  to  be  our  loss  in  the  several  con- 
flicts with  the  enemy  and  on  the  march  to  and  from  Corinth,  viz. : 
killed,  594;  wounded,  2,162;  prisoners  and  missing,  2,102.  One 
piece  of  artillery  was  driven  in  the  nigh,  by  mistake  into  the  ene- 
my's lines  and  captured.  Four  pieces  were  taken  at  the  Hatchie 
Bridge,  the  horses  being  shot.  Nine  wagons  were  upset  and 
abandoned  by  teamsters  on  the  night  march  to  Crum's  Mill. 
Some  baggage  was  thrown  out  of  the  wagons,  not  amounting  to 
any  serious  loss.  Two  pieces  of  artillery  were  captured  from  the 
enemy  at  Corinth  by  General  Lovell's  division,  one  of  which  was 
brought  off.  Five  pieces  were  also  taken  by  General  Price's 
corps,  two  of  which  were  brought  off,  thus  making  a  loss  to  us 
of  only  two  pieces. 

"  The  enemy's  loss  in  killed  and  wounded,  by  their  own  ac- 
counts, was  over  3,000.  We  took  over  300  prisoners.  Most  of 
the  prisoners  taken  from  us  were  the  stragglers  from  the  army  on 
the  retreat. 

"  The  retreat  from  Corinth  was  not  a  rout,  as  it  has  been  in- 
dustriously represented  to  be  by  the  enemy,  and  by  the  cowardly 
deserters  from  the  army.  The  division  of  General  Lovell  formed 
line  of  battle  facing  the  rear  on  several  occasions  when  it  was  re- 
ported the  army  was  near,  but  not  a  gun  was  fired  after  the  army 


Corinth.  121 

retired  from  the  Hatchie  and  Tuscumbia  Bridges,  nor  did  the 
enemy  follow,  except  at  a  respectful  distance. 

"  Although  many  officers  and  soldiers  who  distinguished  them- 
selves in  the  battle  of  Corinth  and  in  the  affair  at  Hatchie  Bridge 
came  under  my  personal  observation,  I  will  not  mention  them  to 
the  exclusion  of  others  who  may  have  been  equally  deserving  but 
who  did  not  fall  under  my  own  eye.  I  have  deemed  it  best  to 
call  on  the  different  commanders  to  furnish  me  a  special  report 
and  a  list  of  the  names  of  the  officers  and  soldiers  of  their  re- 
spective commands  who  deserve  special  mention.  These  lists  and 
special  reports  I  will  take  pleasure  in  forwarding,  together  with 
one  of  my  own,  when  completed,  and  I  respectfully  request  that 
they  may  be  appended  as  part  of  my  report. 

"  I  cannot  refrain,  however,  from  mentioning  here  the  con- 
spicuous gallantry  of  a  noble  Texan,  whose  deeds  at  Corinth  are 
the  constant  theme  of  both  friends  and  foes.  As  long  as  courage, 
manliness,  fortitude,  patriotism,  and  honor  exist  the  name  of 
Rogers  will  be  revered  and  honored  among  men.  He  fell  in  the 
front  of  battle,  and  died  beneath  the  colors  of  his  regiment,  in  the 
very  center  of  the  enemy's  stronghold.  He  sleeps,  and  glory  is 
his  sentinel. 

"  The  attempt  at  Corinth  has  failed,  and  in  consequence  I  am 
condemned  and  have  been  superseded  in  my  command.  In  my 
zeal  for  my  country  I  may  have  ventured  too  far  with  inadequate 
means,  and  I  bow  to  the  opinion  of  the  people  whom  I  serve.  Yet 
I  feel  that  if  the  spirits  of  the  gallant  dead  who  now  lie  beneath 
the  batteries  of  Corinth  see  and  judge  the  motives  of  men,  they 
do  not  rebuke  me,  for  there  is  no  sting  in  my  conscience,  nor  does 
retrospection  admonish  me  of  error  or  of  a  reckless  disregard  of 
their  valued  lives. 

"  Very  respectfully,  sir,  I  am,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN, 

"  Major-General." 

GENERAL   PRICE'S   REPORT   OF  THE    BATTLE   OF   CORINTH   AND  THE 
OPERATIONS  OF  HIS  ARMY  BETWEEN  SEPTEMBER  2/  AND  OCTOBER 

5,  1862. 

"  MAJOR  : — I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  of 
the  operations  of  this  army  connected  with  the  several  engage- 
ments at  Corinth  and  Davis'  Bridge  of  the  3d,  4th  and  5th  instant. 


122  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

"  Having  arranged  with  Major-General  Van  Dorn  to  unite  my 
forces  with  his  for  active  operations,  I  joined  him  at  Ripley  on  the 
27th  ultimo.  My  force  at  this  time  consisted  of  10,498  effective 
infantry,  2,437  effective  cavalry,  928  artillerymen,  and  44  guns, 
including  two  24-pounder  howitzers  and  four  rifled  pieces  of  33^ 
caliber.  The  infantry  was  divided  into  two  divisions,  commanded 
by  Brig.-Gens.  Maury  and  Hebert.  Maury 's  division  consisted 
of  three  brigades,  commanded  by  Brig.-General  Moore  and  Acting 
Brig.-Generals  Cabell  and  Phifer.  Hebert's  division  consisted  of 
four  brigades,  commanded  by  Brig.-General  Green  and  Colonels 
Martin,  Gates  and  Colbert.  The  cavalry,  except  such  companies 
as  were  on  detached  service,  was  under  command  of  Acting  Brig.- 
Gen.  Armstrong.  The  artillery  was  apportioned  as  follows: 
With  Maury 's  division,  Hoxton's  battery  (Lt.  Tobin  command- 
ing), Bledsoe's  battery,  McNally's  battery  (Lieut.  Moore  com- 
manding), Bryan's  battery,  Lucas'  battery  and  Sengstak's  battery. 
Hoxton's  and  Sengstak's  batteries  were  held  as  reserves,  under 
command  of  Lieut.  Burnet,  acting  chief  of  artillery,  of  the  divi- 
sion. With  Hebert's  division  were  Wade's,  Landis',  Guibor's, 
Dawson's  and  King's.  The  cavalry  force  under  General  Arm- 
strong reported  to  the  major-general  commanding  the  com- 
bined forces  and  afterwards  acted  under  orders  direct  from 
him. 

"  On  the  morning  of  the  3Oth  ultimo  we  took  up  the  line  of 
march  in  the  direction  of  Pocahontas,  which  place  we  reached  on 
the  ist  instant,  and  from  which  we  moved  upon  the  enemy  at 
Corinth,  bivouacking  on  the  night  of  the  2d  instant  at  a  point 
nearly  opposite  to  Chewella,  having  left  one  regiment  of  in- 
fantry and  a  section  of  artillery  with  the  wagon  train  as  a 
guard. 

"  At  4  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  3d  instant  we  resumed  the 
march,  my  command  moving  on  the  main  Pocahontas  and  Corinth 
road  in  rear  of  General  Lovell's.  At  a  point  about  i>£  miles 
from  the  enemy's  outer  line  of  fortifications  my  command  made 
a  detour  to  the  left,  with  instructions  to  occupy  the  ground  be- 
tween the  Memphis  and  Charleston  and  Mobile  and  Ohio  Rail- 
roads. This  done,  my  line — Maury  commanding  the  right  and 
Hebert  the  left,  with  Cabell's  and  Colbert's  brigades  in  reserve — 
fronted  the  enemy's  works  in  a  southeasterly  direction,  the  right 
resting  upon  the  Memphis  and  Charleston  Railroad.  While  these 


Corinth.  123 

dispositions  were  making,  General  Lovell  engaged  the  enemy  upon 
our  right. 

"  All  being  now  ready  for  the  attack  my  line  was  ordered  for- 
ward at  about  10  A.  M.  Almost  simultaneously  with  the  move- 
ment the  opposed  armies  became  engaged  in  desperate  conflict 
along  the  whole  extent  of  my  line.  My  command  had  scarcely 
cleared  the  position  of  its  first  formation  when,  entering  an  abatis 
of  more  than  300  yards,  it  became  unmasked  before  a  position 
naturally  exceeding  formidable  and  rendered  trebly  so  by  the  ex- 
tent of  felled  timber  through  which  it  must  be  approached  and  the 
most  approved  and  scientifically  constructed  intrenchments,  brist- 
ling wth  artillery  of  large  caliber  and  supported  by  heavy  lines  of 
infantry.  My  troops  charged  the  enemy's  position  with  the  most 
determined  courage,  exposed  to  a  murderous  fire  of  musketry  and 
artillery.  Without  faltering  they  pressed  forward  over  every  ob- 
stacle, and  with  shouts  and  cheers  carried  in  less  than  twenty  min- 
utes the  entire  line  of  works,  the  enemy  having  fled,  leaving  in  our 
hands  many  prisoners  and  two  pieces  of  artillery,  one  a  4-inch 
Parrott  gun,  the  other  a  24-pounder  howitzer. 

"  Our  loss  in  this  attack  was  comparatively  small.  This  is  at- 
tributable to  the  impetuosity  with  which  the  charge  was  made  and 
the  works  carried. 

"  It  becomes  my  painful  duty  in  this  connection  to  revert  to  the 
distinguished  services  of  two  gallant  officers  who  fell  in  this  en- 
gagement— Col.  John  D.  Martin,  commanding  a  brigade  of  Mis- 
sissippians,  and  Lieut.  Samuel  Farrington,  of  Wade's  (Missouri) 
battery.  Col.  Martin  fell  mortally  wounded  while  leading  the 
charge  against  an  angle  in  the  enemy's  works  exposed  to  the  fire 
of  enfilading  batteries.  The  gallant  bearing  'of  this  officer  upon 
more  than  one  bloody  field  had  won  for  him  a  place  in  the  heart 
of  every  Mississippian  and  the  admiration  and  confidence  of  h:s 
superior  officers.  Lieut.  Farrington  was  struck  and  instantly 
killed  by  a  shot  from  a  rifled  gun  while  bringing  one  of  the  guns  \ 
of  his  battery  into  position.  This  gallant  soldier  and  courteous 
and  chivalric  gentleman,  forgetful  of  personal  interest  and  mind- 
ful of  the  necessities  of  the  service  only,  resigned  a  lieutenant- 
colonelcy  in  the  service  of  his  State  for  a  lieutenancy  in  the  Con- 
federate service,  and  gave  up  his  life  a  glorious  sacrifice  upon  the 
altar  of  his  country's  honor  in  the  seventh  of  the  battles  in  which 
he  has  been  conspicuous  for  cool,  determined,  -and  effective 


124  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

bravery.  Though  young,  his  country  mourns  no  more  valiant  de- 
fender, his  command  no  abler  commander,  his  friends  no  worthier 
recipient  of  their  affection. 

"  The  outer  works  being  in  our  possession  my  troops  moved 
forward  in  pursuit  of  the  retreating  enemy  until  within  one  mile 
of  Corinth,  where  the  enemy  was  encountered  in  position  and  in 
force.  The  necessary  disposition  being  made,  my  whole  line  again 
moved  forward  to  the  attack  at  about  3  P.  M.  Here  the  fighting 
was  of  unparalleled  fierceness  along  the  whole  extent  of  my  line. 
The  position  of  the  enemy  along  the  entire  length  of  his  lines  was 
covered  by  fencing,  heavy  timber,  or  thick  underbrush,  while 
portions  of  my  troops  advanced  through  open  fields,  exposed  to  a 
deadly  fire  of  batteries  operating  over  the  enemy's  line  of  infantry. 
Here,  as  in  the  assault  upon  the  outer  works,  we  had  little  artillery 
in  action,  it  being  impossible  to  procure  such  positions  for  my  bat- 
teries as  would  enaDle  them  to  cooperate  effectively  with  the  in- 
fantry. After  continuous  and  most  desperate  fighting  along  the 
whole  extent  of  my  line  of  nearly  two  hours'  duration,  the  enemy, 
nowithstanding  his  lines  had  been  trebled  by  reinforcements,  was 
driven  from  his  positions  and  forced  to  take  refuge  in  his  inner- 
most works  in  and  around  the  town.  The  troops  of  my  command, 
having  nearly  exhausted  their  ammunition  in  the  heavy  fighting 
through  the  day,  were  withheld  from  immediate  pursuit,  and  the 
delay  in  procuring  the  necessary  supplies  of  ammunition  forced 
us  to  close  the  fight  for  the  day.  My  troops  were  withdrawn  for 
cover  and  laid  on  their  arms  during  the  night  in  the  position  from 
which  the  enemy  had  been  driven. 

"  About  4  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  4th  three  batteries  of  my 
command  were  placed  in  position  and  opened  fire  upon  the  town, 
under  the  immediate  orders  of  the  major-general  commanding. 
About  daylight  orders  were  received  to  advance  my  whole  line. 
In  the  execution  of  this  order  a  delay  was  occasioned  by  the  ill- 
ness of  Brig.-General  Hebert,  commanding  a  division.  He  was 
necessarily  relieved  from  duty.  The  command  devolved  upon 
Brig.-General  Green,  who  moved  forward  as  soon  as  he  could 
make  the  necessary  disposition  of  his  troops. 

"  It  was  after  9  o'clock  when  my  line  became  generally  and  fu- 
riously engaged  with  the  enemy  in  his  innermost  and  most  for- 
midable works,  from  which  his  infantry  and  artillery  could  jointly 
operate  against  my  troops.  Here,  as  in  the  previous  actions,  my 


Corinth. 

artillery  could  not  be  effectively  brought  into  action  and  but  few  of 
the  guns  were  engaged.  The  fighting  by  my  command  was 
almost  entirely  confined  to  the  infantry.  My  men  pressed  forward 
upon  the  enemy,  and  with  heavy  loss  succeeded  in  getting  into  his 
worls,  having  driven  him  from  them,  capturing  more  than  forty 
pieces  of  artillery  and  forcing  him  to  take  refuge  in  the  houses  of 
the  town  and  in  every  place  that  would  afford  protection  from  our 
galling  fire.  He  was  followed  and  driven  from  house  to  house 
with  great  slaughter.  In  the  town  were  batteries  in  mask,  sup- 
ported by  heavy  reserves,  behind  which  the  retreating  enemy  took 
shelter,  and  which  opened  upon  our  troops  a  most  destructive  fire 
at  short  range.  My  men  held  their  positions  most  gallantly,  re- 
turning the  fire  of  the  enemy  with  great  spirit  until  portions  of 
them  exhausted  their  ammunition  and  were  compelled  to  retire. 
This  necessitated  the  withdrawal  of  the  whole  line,  which  was 
done  under  a  withering  fire.  The  attack  was  not  resumed  and  we 
fell  back  to  our  supply  train,  the  men  being  almost  exhausted  from 
exertion  and  want  of  food  and  water.  General  Villepigue's  bri- 
gade moved  over  to  our  assistance  but  did  not  become  engaged, 
as  the  enemy  was  too  badly  cut  up  to  follow  us.  We  fell  back,  in 
order  to  obtain  water,  some  6  miles  from  Corinth,  where  we 
bivouacked  for  the  night,  bringing  off  all  of  our  artillery  and  arms 
save  one  rifled  piece,  which  had  been  inadvertently  driven  into 
the  enemy's  line  while  going  into  battery  before  daylight  in  the 
morning  and  had  been  left.  We  brought  off  also  the  two  guns 
captured  at  the  outer  line  of  fortifications  on  the  3d. 

"  It  is  impossible  for  me  to  do  justice  to  the  courage  of  my 
troops  in  these  engagements,  nor  can  I  discriminate  between 
officers  or  commands  where  all  behaved  so  nobly.  This  is  the  less 
necessary,  as  the  operations  of  my  command  were  under  the  im- 
mediate observation  of  the  major-general  commanding. 

"  For  minute  details  of  the  actions,  and  particularly  of  the  artil- 
lery, of  the  3d  and  4th  instant,  as  well  as  for  instances  of  personal 
and  distinguished  gallantry,  I  bee  leave  to  refer  the  major-general 
commanding  to  the  reports  of  the  commanding  officers,  herewith 
inclosed. 

"  On  the  morning  of  the  5th  instant  we  resumed  the  march  in 
the  direction  of  Pocahontas,  my  command  moving  by  divisions, 
Maury's  in  front,  each  in  rear  of  its  ordnance  and  supply  train, 
except  Moore's  brigade,  which  constituted  the  advance  guard. 


126  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

After  crossing  the  Tuscumbia  Moore's  brigade  was  hurried  for- 
ward to  protect  Davis'  Bridge  across  the  Hatchie,  which  was 
threatened  by  an  advance  of  the  enemy.  It  being  found  that  the 
enemy  was  in  force,  the  remainder  of  Maury's  division  was  or- 
dered forward,  and  finally  I  was  ordered  to  move  up  the  whole 
of  my  command.  Moore's  brigade,  with  a  section  of  the  Saint 
Louis  Battery  and  Sengstak's  battery,  were  thrown  across  the 
Hatchie,  but  the  enemy  having  possession  of  the  heights  com- 
manding the  crossing,  as  well  as  the  position  in  which  these  troops 
were  placed,  and  it  being  found  that  he  was  in  very  heavy  force,  it 
was  deemed  advisable  to  cross  the  Hatch'e  by  another  road,  and 
these  troops  were  withdrawn  after  serious  loss  10  the  east  side  of 
the  Hatchie,  where,  being  joined  by  Cabell'L  and  Phifer's  brigades, 
and,  assisted  by  the  batteries  of  McNally,  Hogg,  Landis  and  Tobin, 
they  effectually  checked  the  advance  of  the  enemy.  Green's  divi- 
sion, which  had  been  delayed  by  passing  the  wagon  train  that 
had  been  parked  near  the  Tuscumbia,  arriving  on  the  ground,  was 
formed  in  line  of  battle,  but  the  enemy  making  no  further  effort 
to  advance  the  whole  of  my  command  were  moved  off  by  another 
route,  General  Lovell's  command  being  in  our  rear.  This  was 
our  last  engagement  with  the  enemy. 

"  In  this  engagement  we  lost  four  guns,  occasioned  by  the  kill- 
ing of  horses.  Our  whole  wagon  train  came  off  without  molesta- 
tion or  loss,  except  a  few  wagons  that  were  broken  down  and  had 
to  be  abandoned. 

The  history  of  this  war  contains  no  bloodier  page  perhaps  than 
that  which  will  record  this  fiercely  contested  battle.  The  strongest 
expressions  fall  short  of  my  admiration  -f  the  gallant  conduct 
of  the  officers  and  men  under  my  command.  Words  cannot  add 
luster  to  the  fame  they  have  acquired  through  deeds  of  noble 
daring  which,  living  through  future  time,  will  shed  about  every 
man,  officer,  and  soldier  who  stood  to  his  arms  through  this 
struggle  a  halo  of  glory  as  imperishable  as  it  is  brilliant.  They 
have  won  to  their  sisters  and  daughters  the  distinguished  honor, 
set  before  them  by  a  general  of  their  love  and  admiration  upon  the 
event  of  an  impending  battle  upon  the  same  field,  of  the  proud 
exclamation,  '  My  brother,  father,  was  at  the  great  battle  of 
Corinth.' 

"  The  bloodiest  record  of  this  battle  is  to  come.  The  long  list  of 
the  gallant  dead  upon  this  field  will  carry  sorrow  to  the  hearth- 


Corinth.  127 

stone  of  many  a  noble  champion  of  our  cause,  as  it  does  to  the 
hearts  of  those  who  are  to  avenge  them.  A  nation  mourns  their 
loss  while  it  cherishes  the  story  of  their  glorious  death,  pointing 
out  to  their  associate  officers  in  this  mighty  struggle  for  liberty 
the  pathway  to  victory  and  honor.  They  will  live  ever  in  the 
hearts  of  the  admiring  people  of  the  Government  for  the  establish- 
ment  of  which  they  have  given  their  lives. 

"  Of  the  officers  killed  were  Colonels  Rogers,  Second  Texas 
Infantry,  who  fell  in  the  heart  of  the  town  of  eleven  wounds; 
Johnson,  Twentieth  Arkansas,  and  Daly,  of  the  Eighteenth  Ar- 
kansas ;  Lieutenant-Colonels  Maupin,  First  Missouri  Calvary  (dis- 
mounted), and  Leigh,  Forty-Third  Mississippi;  Majors  Vaughn, 
Sixth  Missouri  Infantry ;  Dowdell,  Twenty-First  Arkansas,  and 
McDonald,  Fortieth  Mississippi. 

"  Many  of  my  ablest  and  most  gallant  field  officers  are  wounded, 
several  mortally.  Of  this  number  are  Colonels  Erwin,  Sixth  Mis- 
souri Infantry ;  MacFarlane,  Fourth  Missouri  Infantry ;  Pritch- 
ard,  Third  Missouri  Infantry ;  Moore,  Forty-Third  Mississippi 
and  McLain,  Thirty-Seventh  Mississippi ;  Lieutenant-Colonels 
Pixlee,  Sixteenth  Arkansas ;  Hedgpeth,  Sixth  Missouri  Infantry ; 
Terral,  Seventh  Mississippi  Battalion ;  Lanier,  Forty-Second  Ala- 
bama; Hobson,  Third  Arkansas  Cavalry;  Matheny,  Twenty -First 
Arkansas ;  Campbell,  Fortieth  Mississippi,  and  Boone,  Fifteenth 
Arkansas  Infantry;  Majors  Senteny,  Second  Missouri  Infantry; 
Kirn,  Thirty-Eighth  Mississippi ;  Slaton,  Thirty-Seventh  Ala- 
bama ;  Timmins,  Second  Texas ;  Jones,  Twenty-First  Arkansas ; 
Russell,  Third  Louisiana;  Yates,  Thirty-Sixth  Mississippi;  and 
McQuiddy,  Third  Missouri  Cavalry. 

"  For  other  casualties  in  officers  and  men  I  beg  leave  to  refer  to 
lists  inclosed. 

"  I  cannot  close  this  report  without  recognizing  the  eminent  ser- 
vices and  valuable  assistance  of  Brig.-Generals  Maury,  Hebert 
(vrhose  services  I  regret  to  have  lost  on  the  morning  of  the  4th 
by  reason  of  his  illness),  and  Green,  commanding  division.  I  bear 
willing  testimony  to  the  admirable  coolness,  undaunted  courage, 
and  military  skill  of  these  officers  in  disposing  their  respective 
commands  and  in  executing  their  orders.  Through  them  I  trans- 
mit to  Brig.-General  Moore  and  acting  Brig.-Generals  Cabell, 
Phifer,  Gates  and  Colbert  my  high  appreciation  of  their  efficient 
services  on  the  field.  Their  skill  in  maneuvering  their  troops  and 


128  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

promptness  and  galantry  in  leading  them  through  the  most  des- 
perate conflicts  elicit  my  highest  admiration ;  and  of  my  troops  as 
a  body  I  can  say  no  juster  or  more  complimentary  words  than  that 
they  have  sustained  and  deepened  and  widened  their  reputation  for 
exalted  patriotism  and  determined  valor. 

"  To  my  personal  staff  I  return  my  thanks  for  their  promptness 
to  the  delivery  of  my  orders  and  their  gallant  bearing  on  the  field. 
'  "  All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 

"  STERLING  PRICE, 

"  Major-General. 

"  M.   M.  KlMMEL, 

"  Assistant  Adjutant-General,  Army  of  West  Tennessee." 

GENERAL  ROSECRANSE'S  ACCOUNT  OF  BATTLE  OF  CORINTH  IN   1863. 

"The  battle  of  Corinth,  Miss.,  which  is  often  confounded  in 
public  memory  with  our  advance  under  Halleck,  from  Pittsburg 
Landing  in  April  and  May,  1862,  was  fought  on  the  3d  and  4th  ot 
October,  of  that  year,  between  the  combined  forces  of  Major-Gen- 
erals Earl  Van  Dorn  and  Sterling  Price  of  the  Confederacy,  and 
the  Union  divisions  of  Brigadier-Generals  David  S.  Stanley, 
Charles  S.  Hamilton,  Thomas  A.  Davies,  and  Thomas  J.  McKean, 
under  myself  as  commander  of  the  Third  Division  of  the  District 
of  West  Tennessee. 

"  In  the  early  days  of  the  summer,  McClellan's  campaign  on  the 
peninsula  of  the  James  ended  in  failure,  and  was  followed  by  the 
aggressive  movements  of  Lee,  his  victory  of  the  Second  Bull  Run, 
the  invasion  of  Maryland,  and  his  defeat  at  Antietam. 

"  While  McClellan  was  advancing  on  Richmond,  General  Hal- 
leck, moving  by  steady  steps  upon  Bragg,  and  Beauregard,  in- 
trenched at  Corinth,  Mississippi,  saw  the  latter  place  evacuated  the 
last  of  May.  Soon  after,  learning  that  Bragg  with  a  large  portion 
of  his  forces  had  gone  northeasterly  through  Alabama,  intending 
from  Chattanooga  to  pass  northward,  through  the  mountainous 
regions  of  Tennessee  and  Kentucky,  and  plant  the  Confederate 
flag  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio,  General  Halleck  ordered  General  D. 
C.  Buell  with  the  '  Army  of  the  Ohio  '  (a  part  of  which  was  after- 
wards designated  'of  the  Cumberland  ')  to  Middle  Tennessee  to 
counteract  this  movement.  Halleck  shortly  after  was  called  to 
Washington  to  discharge  the  duties  of  General-in-Chief.  He  left 


Corinth.  I2Q 

the  District  of  West  Tennessee  and  the  territory  held  in  Northern 
Mississippi  under  the  command  of  General  Grant.  In  August, 
by  Halleck's  orders,  General  Grant  sent  Palmer's  and  Jeff  C. 
Davis's  divisions  across  the  Tennessee  to  join  Buell,  who  was 
moving  northerly  through  Middle  Tennessee,  to  meet  Bragg,  then 
rapidly  entering  Kentucky.  These  divisions  arrived  in  time  to 
garrison  Nashville  while  Buell  followed  Bragg  into  Kentucky. 

"  Many  readers  of  this  will  remember  the  almost  breathless  anx- 
iety with  which,  in  the  early  days  of  September,  the  friends  of  the 
Union,  after  the  disaster  of  the  '  Second  Bull  Rum/  watched  the 
advance  of  Lee  into  Maryland,  of  Bragg  into  Kentucky,  and 
the  hurrying  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  northward  from 
Washington,  to  get  between  Lee  and  Washington,  Baltimore  and 
Philadelphia.  Who  remembers  not  the  fearful  suspense  lest  Mc- 
Clellan  should  not  be  in  time  to  head  off  Lee ;  lest  Buell  should 
not  arrive  in  time  to  prevent  Bragg  from  taking  Louisville  or 
assaulting  Cincinnati?  To  swell  the  mighty  flood  of  anxieties 
which  filled  the  popular  heart,  the  Uraon  forces  in  West  Tennessee 
and  Northern  Mississippi  were  suddenly  startled  by  the  movements 
of  General  Sterling  Price,  who,  with  fifteen  thousand  to  twenty 
thousand  men,  during  July  and  August,  had  been  on  the  Mobile 
and  Ohio  railway  near  Guntown  and  Baldwyn,  Miss. 

"  Under  the  idea  that  I  was  to  reinforce  Buell,  General  Price 
moved  up  to  luka  about  the  I2th  of  September,  intending  to  follow 
me ;  and  as  he  reported,  '  Finding  that  General  Rosecrans  had 
not  crossed  the  Tennessee  River,  concluded  to  withdraw  from  luka 
toward  my  old  encampment.'  His  '  withdrawal '  was  after  the 
hot  battle  of  luka  on  the  I9th  of  September,  two  days  after  the 
battle  of  Antietam  which  caused  Lee's  '  withdrawal '  from  Mary- 
land. 

"  During  the  month  of  August  General  Price  had  been  confer- 
ring with  General  Van  Dorn,  commanding  all  the  Confederate 
troops  in  Mississippi  except  Price's,  to  form  a  combined  move- 
ment to  expel  the  Union  forces  from  Northern  Mississippi  and 
Western  Tennessee,  and  to  plant  their  flags  on  the  banks  of  the 
Lower  Ohio,  while  Bragg  was  to  do  the  like  on  that  river  in  Ken- 
tucky. General  Earl  Van  Dorn,  an  able  and  enterprising  com- 
mander, after  disposing  his  forces  to  hold  the  Mississippi  from 
Grand  Gulf  up  toward  Memphis,  late  in  September,  with  Lovell's 
division,  a  little  over  8,000  men,  came  up  to  Ripley,  Mississippi,. 

9 


130  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

where,  on  the  28th  of  September  he  was  joined  by  General  Price, 
with  Hebert's  and  Maury's  divisions,  numbering  13,863  effective 
infantry,  artillery,  and  cavalry. 

<:  This  concentration,  following-  the  precipitate  '  withdrawal '  of 
Price  from  luka,  portended  mischief  to  the  Union  forces  in  West 
Tennessee,  numbering  some  forty  to  fifty  thousand  effectives, 
scattered  over  the  district,  occupying  the  vicinity  of  the  Memphis 
and  Charleston  railway  from  luka  to  Memphis,  a  stretch  of  about 
a  hundred  and  fifteen  miles,  and  interior  positions  on  the  Ohio  and 
Mississippi  from  Paducah  to  Columbus,  and  at  Jackson,  Bethel, 
end  other  places  on  the  Mississippi  Central  and  Mobile  and  Ohio 
railways. 

"  The  military  features  of  West  Tennessee  and  Northern  Missis- 
sippi will  be  readily  comprehended  by  the  reader  w.io  will  examine 
a  map  of  that  -egion  and  notic  :  (i)  That  the  Memphis  and 
Charleston  railway  runs  not  far  from  the  dividing  line  between 
the  States,  with  a  southerly  bend  from  Memphis  eastward  toward 
Corinth,  whence  it  extends  eastwardly  through  luka,  crosses  Bear 
River  and  follows  the  Tuscumbia  Valley  on  the  south  side  of  that 
east  and  west  reach  of  the  Tennessee,  to  Decatur.  Thence  the 
road  crosses  to  the  north  side  of  this  river  and  unites  with  the 
Nashville  and  Chattanooga  road  at  Stevenson  en  route  for  Chat- 
tanooga. (2)  That  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  railway,  from  Columbus 
on  the  Mississippi,  runs  considerably  east  of  south,  passes  through 
Jackson,  Bethel,  Corinth,  Tupelo,  Baldwyn,  and  thence  to  Mobile. 
(3)  That  the  Mississippi  Central,  leaving  the  Mobile  and  Ohio 
at  Jackson,  runs  nearly  south,  passing  by  Bolivar,  Grand  Junction, 
Holly  Springs,  Grenada,  etc.,  to  Jackson,  Mississippi.  Now  all 
this  region  of  West  Tennessee  and  the  adjoining  counties  of  Mis- 
sissippi, although  here  and  there  dotted  with  clearings,  farms, 
settlements,  and  little  villages,  is  heavily  wooded.  Its  surface 
consists  of  low,  rolling  oak  ridges  of  diluvial  clays  with  inter- 
vening crooked  drainages  traversing  narrow  bushy  and  sometimes 
swampy  bottoms.  The  streams  are  sluggish  and  not  easily  ford- 
able,  on  account  of  their  miry  beds  and  steep,  muddy  clay  banks. 
Water  in  dry  seasons  is  never  abundant,  and  in  many  places  only 
reached  by  bore-wells  of  one  hundred  to  three  hundred  feet  in 
depth,  whence  it  is  hoisted  by  rope  and  pulley  carrying  water- 
buckets  of  galvanized  iron  pipes  from  four  to  six  inches  in  diam- 
eter, and  four  to  five  feet  long,  with  valves  at  the  lower  end. 


Corinth.  131 

These  matters  are  of  controlling  importance  in  moving  and  hand- 
ling troops  in  that  region.  Men  and  animals  need  hard  ground 
to  move  on,  and  must  have  drinking-water. 

;<  The  strategic  importance  of  Corinth,  ninety-three  miles  east  of 
Memphis,  where  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  crosses  the  Memphis  and 
Charleston,  results  from  its  control  of  movements  either  way  over 
these  railways,  and  the  fact  that  it  is  not  far  from  Hamburg,  East- 
port,  and  Pittsburg  Landing  on  the  Tennessee  River,  to  which 
good  freight  steamers  can  ascend  at  the  lowest  stages  of  water. 
Corinth  is  mainly  on  low,  flat  ground,  along  the  Mobile  and  Ohio 
railway,  and  flanked  by  low,  rolling  ridges,  covered,  except  the 
cleared  patches,  with  oaks  and  undergrowth  for  miles  in  all  di- 
rections. With  few  and  rare  clearings,  outside  of  those  made  by 
the  Confederate  troops  in  obtaining  fuel  during  their  wintering 
in  1861—1862,  the  country  around  Corinth,  in  all  directions,  was 
densely  wooded. 

"  While  General  Halleck  was  advancing  on  Corinth,  the  Confed 
erates  had  extended  a  line  of  defensive  light  works  from  the 
Memphis  and  Charleston  road  on  the  west,  about  two  and  a  half 
miles  from  the  town,  all  the  way  round  by  the  north  and  east  to 
the  same  railway  east.  When  the  Union  forces  took  possession 
General  Halleck  ordered  a  defensive  line  to  be  constructed  about 
a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  town,  extending  from  the  Memphis  and 
Charleston  railway  on  the  west  around  southerly  to  cover  the 
Union  front  in  that  direction.  After  the  departure  of  General 
Buell's  command  toward  Chattanooga  this  work  was  continued, 
although  we  had  no  forces  adequate  to  man  it,  and  it  was  too 
far  away  to  afford  protection  to  our  stores  at  Corinth.  During 
August  I  used  to  go  over  from  Camp  Clear  Creek  to  General 
Grant's  headquarters,  and  after  the  usual  greetings  would  ask: 
'  How  are  you  getting  along  with  the  line  ? '  He  would  say : 
'  Well,  pretty  slowly,  but  they  are  doing  good  work.'  I  said  to 
him :  '  General,  the  'line  isn't  worth  much  to  us,  because  it  is  too 
long.  We  cannot  occupy  it.'  He  answered,  '  What  would  you 
do?  '  I  said,  '  I  would  have  made  the  depots  outside  of  the  town 
north  of  the  Memphis  and  Charleston  road  between  the  town  and 
the  brick  church,  and  inclosed  them  by  field  works,  running  tracks 
in.  Now,  as  the  depot  houses  are  at  the  crossroads,  the  best  thing 
we  can  do  is  to  run  a  line  of  light  works  round  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  college  up  on  the  knoll.'  So,  one  day,  after  dining  with 


132  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

General  Grant,  he  proposed  that  we  go  up  together  and  take  Col- 
onel Prime  with  us,  and  he  gave  orders  to  commence  a  line  of 
breastworks  that  would  include  the  college  grounds.  This  was 
before  the  battle  of  luka.  After  luka  I  was  ordered  to  command 
the  district,  and  General  Grant  moved  his  headquarters  to  Jackson, 
Tenn.  Pursuant  to  this  order,  on  the  26th  of  September,  I  re- 
paired to  Corinth,  where  I  found  the  only  defensive  works  avail- 
able consisted  of  the  open  batteries  Robinett,  Williams,  Phillips, 
Tannarth,  and  Lothrop,  established  by  Colonel  Prime  on  the  Col- 
lege Hill  line.  I  immediately  ordered  them  to  be  connected  by 
breastworks,  and  the  front  to  the  west  and  north  to  be  covered  by 
such  an  abatis  as  the  remaining  timber  on  the  ground  could 
furnish.  I  employed  colored  engineer  troops  organized  into 
squads  of  twenty-five  each,  headed  by  a  man  detailed  from  the  line 
or  quartermaster's  department,  and  commanded  by  Captain  Gaw, 
a  competent  engineer.  I  also  ordered  an  extension  of  the  line  of 
redoubts  to  cover  the  north  front  of  the  town,  one  of  which,  Bat- 
tery Powell,  was  nearly  completed  before  the  stirring  events  of 
the  attack.  No  rifle-pits  were  constructed  between  Powell  and 
the  central  part  covering  the  northwest  front  of  the  town  which 
was  perfectly  open  northeast  and  southeast,  with  nothing  but 
the  distant  old  Confederate  works  between  it  and  the  country. 

"  To  add  to  these  embarrassments  in  preparing  the  place  to  resist 
a  sudden  attack,  Grant,  the  general  commanding,  had  retired  fifty- 
eight  miles  north  to  Jackson,  Tenn.,  on  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  rail- 
way, with  all  the  knowledge  of  the  surrounding  country  acquired 
during  the  four  months  in  which  his  headquarters  were  at  Corinth, 
and  I,  the  new  commander,  could  not  find  even  the  vestige  of  a 
map  of  the  surrounding  country  to  guide  me  in  these  defensive 
preparations. 

"  During  the  2/th,  28th,  29th,  and  3Oth  of  September,  the  breast- 
works were  completed  joining  the  lunettes  from  College  Hill  on 
the  left.  A  thin  abatis  made  from  the  scattering  trees,  which  had 
been  left  standing  along  the  west  and  north  fronts,  covered  the 
line  between  Robinett  and  the  Mobile  and  Ohio ;  thence  to  Battery 
Powell  the  line  was  mostly  open  and  without  rifle-pits. 

"  To  meet  emergencies  Hamilton's  and  Stanley's  divisions, 
which  had  been  watching  to  the  south  and  southwest  from  near 
Jacinto  to  Rienzi,  were  closed  in  toward  Corinth  to  within  short 
call. 


Corinth.  133 

"  On  the  28th  I  telegraphed  General  Grant  at  Columbus,  Ken- 
tucky, confirmation  of  my  report  of  Price's  movement  to  Ripley, 
and  that  I  should  move  Stanley's  division  to  Rienzi,  and  thence  to 
Kossuth,  unless  he  had  other  views.  Two  days  later  I  again  tele- 
graphed General  Grant  that  there  were  no  signs  of  the  enemy  at 
Hatchie  Crossing,  and  that  my  reason  for  proposing  to  put  Stanley 
at  or  near  Kossuth  was  that  he  would  cover  nearly  all  the  Hatchie 
crossing,  as  far  as  Pocahontas,  except  gainst  heavy  forces,  and 
that  Hamilton  would  then  move  at  least  one  brigade  from  Rienzi. 
I  asked  that  a  sharp  lookout  be  kept  in  the  direction  of  Bolivar. 
October  ist,  I  telegraphed  General  Grant  we  were  satisfied  there 
was  no  enemy  for  three  miles  beyond  Hatchie ;  also  that  prisoners 
reported  Breckinridge  had  gone  to  Kentucky  with  three  Kentucky 
regiments,  leaving  his  division  under  the  command  of  General 
Rust.  The  combined  forces  under  Van  Dorn  and  Price  were  re- 
ported to  be  encamped  on  the  Pocahontas  road,  and  to  number 
forty  thousand.  [In  fact  about  22,000.] 

"  Amid  the  numberless  rumors  and  uncertainties  besetting  me  at 
Corinth  during  the  five  days  between  the  26th,  when  I  assumed 
command,  and  the  ist  of  October,  how  gratifying  would  have  been 
knowledge  of  the  following  facts,  taken  from  General  Van  Dorn's 
report,  dated  Holly  Springs,  October  20,  1862 : 

'  Surveying  the  whole  field  of  operations  before  me,  .  .  .  the 
conclusion  forced  itself  irresistibly  upon  my  mind  that  the  taking 
of  Corinth  was  a  condition  precedent  to  the  accomplishment  of 
anything  of  importance  in  West  Tennessee.  To  take  Memphis 
would  be  to  destroy  an  immense  amount  of  property  without 
any  adequate  military  advantage,  even  admitting  that  it  could  be 
held  without  heavy  guns  against  the  enemy's  gun  and  mortar 
boats.  The  line  of  fortifications  around  Bolivar  is  intersected 
by  the  Hatchie  River,  rendering  it  impossible  to  take  the  place 
by  quick  assault.  ...  It  was  clear  to  my  mind  that  if  a  successful 
attack  could  be  made  upon  Corinth  from  the  west  and  northwest, 
the  forces  there  driven  back  on  the  Tennessee  and  cut  off,  Bolivar 
and  Jackson  would  easily  fall,  and  then,  upon  the  arrival  of  the 
exchanged  prisoners  of  war,  West  Tennessee  would  soon  be  in 
our  possession,  and  communications  with  General  Bragg  effected 
through  Middle  Tennessee.  .  .  . 

"  I  determined  to  attempt  Corinth.  I  had  a  reasonable  hope 
of  success.  Field  returns  at  Ripley  showed  my  strength  to  be 


134  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

about  twenty-two  thousand  men.  Rosecrans  at  Corinth  had 
about  fifteen  thousand,  with  about  eight  thousand  additional  men 
at  outposts,  from  twelve  to  fifteen  miles  distant.  I  might  surprise 
him  and  carry  the  place  before  these  troops  could  be  brought 
in.  ...  It  was  necessary  that  this  blow  should  be  sudden  and 
decisive.  .  .  . 

"  The  troops  were  in  fine  spirits,  and  the  whole  army  of  West 
Tennessee  seemed  eager  to  emulate  the  armies  of  the  Potomac 
and  of  Kentucky.  No  army  ever  marched  to  battle  with  prouder 
steps,  more  hopeful  countenances,  or  with  more  courage  than 
marched  the  Army  of  West  Tennessee  out  of  Ripley,  on  the 
morning  of  September  29,  on  its  way  to  Corinth.' 

"  But  of  all  this  I  knew  nothing.  With  only  McKean's  and 
Davies's  divisions,  not  ten  thousand  men,  at  Corinth  on  the  26th  of 
September,  by  the  ist  of  October  I  had  gradually  drawn  in  pretty 
closely  Stanley's  and  Hamilton's  divisions.  They  had  been  kept 
watching  to  the  south  and  southwest  of  Corinth. 

"  Our  forces  when  concentrated  would  make  about  sixteen  thou- 
sand effective  infantry  and  artillery  for  defense,  with  twenty-five 
hundred  cavalry  for  outposts  and  reconnoitering. 

"  On  October  2d,  while  Van  Dorn  was  at  Pocahontas,  General 
Hurlbut  telegraphed  the  information,  from  an  intelligent  Union 
man  of  Grand  Junction,  that  '  Price,  Van  Dorn,  and  Villepigue 
were  at  Pocahontas,  and  the  talk  was  that  they  would  attack  Boli- 
var.' Evidence  thick  and  fast  arriving,  showed  that  the  enemy 
was  moving,  but  whether  on  Corinth,  Bolivar,  or  passing  between 
they  would  strike  and  capture  Jackson,  was  not  yet  clear  to  any 
of  us.  I  knew  that  the  enemy  intended  a  strong  movement,  and  I 
thought  they  must  have  the  impression  that  our  defensive  works 
at  Corinth  would  be  pretty  formidable.  I  doubted  if  they  would 
venture  to  bring  their  force  against  our  command  behind  defensive 
works.  I  therefore  said,  The  enemy  may  threaten  us,  and  strike 
across  our  line  entirely,  get  on  the  road  between  us  and  Jackson 
and  advance  upon  that  place,  the  capture  of  which  would  compel 
us  to  get  out  of  our  lines ;  or  he  may  come  in  by  the  road  from 
Tupelo  so  as  to  interpose  his  force  between  us  and  Danville.  But 
all  the  time  I  inclined  to  the  belief  that  it  would  not  be  for  his 
interest  to  do  that.  I  thought  that  perhaps  he  would  cross  the 
Memphis  and  Charleston  road  and,  going  over  to  the  Mobile  and 
Ohio  road,  force  us  to  move  out  and  fight  him  in  the  open  country. 


Corinth. 


135 


"  October  2d,  I  sent  out  a  cavalry  detachment  to  reconnoiter  in 
the  direction  of  Pocahontas.  They  found  the  enemy's  infantry 
coming  close  in,  and  that  night  some  of  our  detachment  were  sur- 
prised. Some  of  their  horses  were  captured,  and  a  few  of  the 
men.  The  escaped  reported  to  me  that  the  enemy  was  there  in 
force.  This  was  still  consistent  with  the  theory  that  the  enemy 
wished  to  cross  the  Memphis  and  Charleston  road,  go  north  of  us, 
stirke  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  road  and  maneuver  us  out  of  our 
position. 

'''  To  be  prepared  for  whatever  they  might  do  I  sent  Oliver's  bri- 
gade of  McKean's  division  out  to  Chewella,  ten  miles  northwest. 
On  the  morning  of  the  3d  the  enemy's  advance  came  to  Chewalla 
and  Oliver's  brigade  fell  back  fighting.  I  sent  out  orders  to  the 
brigade  commander  to  make  a  stiff  resistance,  and,  to  see  what 
effect  it  would  have,  still  thinking  that  the  attack  was  likely  to  be 
a  mask  for  their  movement  for  the  north,  I  ordered  Stanley  to 
move  in  close  toward  town  near  the  center  line  of  works  called 
the  '  Halleck  line '  and  to  wait  for  further  developments. 

"An  order  dated  1.30  A.  M.  October  3d,  had  set  all  the  troops  in 
motion.  The  impression  that  the  enemy  might  find  it  better  to 
strike  a  weaker  point  on  our  line  and  compel  us  to  get  out  of  our 
works  to  fight  him,  or  if  he  should  attempt  Corinth  that  he  would 
do  it  if  possible  by  the  north  and  east,  where  the  immediate  vicin- 
age was  open  and  the  place  without  defenses  of  any  kind,  gov- 
erned these  preliminary  dispositions  of  my  troops.  The  controlling 
idea  was  to  prevent  surprise,  to  test  by  adequate  resistance  any 
attacking  force,  and  finding  it  formidable,  to  receive  it  behind  that 
inner  line  which  had  been  preparing  from  College  Hill  round  by 
Robinett. 

"  To  meet  all  probable  contingencies,  nine  o'clock  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  3d  found  my  troops  disposed  as  follows :  Hamilton's 
division,  about  three  thousand  seven  hundred  strong,  on  the  Purdy 
Road  north  of  the  town,  to  meet  any  attempt  from  the  north; 
Davies's  division,  three  thousand  two  hundred  and  four  strong, 
between  the  Memphis  and  Charleston  and  Mobile  and  Ohio  rail- 
ways, northwest  of  the  town ;  McKean's  division,  five  thousand 
three  hundred  and  fifteen  strong,  to  the  left  of  Davies's  and  in  rear 
of  the  old  Halleck  line  of  batteries ;  and  Stanley's  division,  three 
thousand  five  hundred  strong,  mainly  in  reserve  on  the  extreme 
left,  looking  toward  the  Kossuth  road. 


136  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

"  Thus  in  front  of  those  wooded  western  approaches,  the  Union 
troops  on  the  morning  of  October  3d  waited  for  what  might 
happen,  wholly  ignorant  of  what  Van  Dorn  was  doing  at  Che- 
walla,  ten  miles  away  through  thick  forests.  Of  this  General  Van 
Dorn  says : 

"  At  daybreak  on  the  3d  the  march  was  resumed.  .  .  .  Lovell's 
division,  in  front,  kept  the  road  on  the  south  side  of  the  Memphis 
and  Charleston  railroad.  Price,  after  marching  on  the  same  road 
about  five  miles,  turned  to  the  left,  crossing  the  railroad,  and 
formed  line  of  battle  in  front  of  the  outer  line  of  intrenchments 
and  about  three  miles  from  Corinth.' 

"  These  were  the  old  Confederate  works,  which  I  had  no  idea  of 
using  except  as  a  cover  for  a  heavy  skirmish  line,  to  compel  the 
enemy  to  develop  his  force,  and  to  show  whether  he  was  making 
a  demonstration  to  cover  a  movement  of  his  force  round  to  the 
north  of  Corinth.  This  work  was  well  and  gallantly  accom- 
plished by  Davies's  division  during  the  morning,  aided  by  Mc- 
Arthur  with  his  brigade,  and  by  Crocker,  who.  moved  up  toward 
what  the  Confederate  commander  deemed  the  main  stand  of  the 
Union  forces  for  the  defense  of  Corinth,  and  upon  which  they 
moved,  with  three  brigades  of  Lovell's  division, — Villepigue's, 
Bowen's,  and  Rust's, — in  line  with  reserves  in  rear  of  each ;  Jack- 
son's cavalry  on  the  right  en  echelon,  the  left  flank  on  the  Charles- 
ton railroad.  Price's  corps  of  two  divisions  was  on  the  left  of 
Lovell. 

"  Thus  the  Confederate  general  proceeded,  until  '  at  ten  o'clock 
the  Union  skirmishers  were  driven  into  these  old  intrenchments, 
and  a  part  of  the  opposing  forces  were  in  line  of  battle  confronting 
each  other.  There  was  a  belt  of  fallen  timber  about  four  hundred 
yards  wide  between  them,  which  must  be  crossed  by  the  Con- 
federate forces  before  they  could  drive  this  stubborn  testing  force 
of  Davies's,  sent  by  me  to  compel  the  enemy  to  show  his  hand. 
VanDorn  describes  the  movement :  '  The  attack  was  commenced 
on  the  right  by  Lovell's  division  and  gradually  extended  to  the 
left,  and  by  1.30  P.  M.  the  whole  line  of  outer  works  was  carried, 
several  pieces  [two]  of  artillery  being  taken." 

"  Finding  the  resistance  made  by  Oliver's  little  command  on  the 
Chewalla  road  early  in  the  morning  was  not  stiff  enough  to  de- 
monstrate the  enemy's  object,  I  had  ordered  McArthur's  brigade 
from  McKean's  division  to  go  to  Oliver's  assistance.  It  was  done 


Corinth.  137 

with  a  will.  McArthur's  Scotch  blood  got  up,  and  the  enemy 
being  in  fighting  force,  he  fought  him  with  the  stubborn  ferocity  of 
an  action  on  the  main  line  of  battle,  instead  of  the  resistance  of  a 
developing  force. 

'  The  same  remark  applies  to  the  fighting  of  Davies's  division, 
and  as  they  were  pushed  and  called  for  reinforcements,  orders 
were  sent  to  fall  back  slowly  and  stubbornly.  The  Confederates, 
elated  at  securing  these  old  outworks,  pushed  in  toward  our  main 
line,  in  front  of  which  the  fighting  in  the  afternoon  was  so  hot  that 
McKean  was  ordered  to  send  further  help  over  to  the  fighting 
troops  and  Stanley  to  send  '  a  brigade  through  the  woods  by  the 
shortest  cut '  to  help  Davies,  whose  division  covered  itself  with 
glory,  having  Brigadier-General  Hackleman  killed,  Brigadier-Gen- 
eral Oglesby  desperately  wounded,  with  nearly  twenty-five  per 
cent,  of  its  strength  put  out  of  the  fight.  Watching  with  intense 
interest  every  event  of  the  movement  which  would  throw  light  on 
the  -enemy's  intentions,  soon  after  midday  I  decided  that  it  was  i 
main  attack  of  the  enemy.  Hamilton's  division  had  been  sent  up 
the  railroad  as  far  as  the  old  Confederate  works  in  the  morning, 
and  formed  the  right  of  our  line.  At  one  o'clock  his  division  was 
still  there,  watching  against  attack  from  the  north.  When  the 
enemy  prepared  to  make  the  attack  on  our  first  real  line  of  battle, 
word  was  sent  up  to  Hamilton  to  advise  us  if  any  Confederate 
force  had  gotten  through,  on  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  road.  At  three 
o'clock  when  the  fighting  began  and  became  very  heavy,  Stanley 
was  ordered  to  move  up  from  his  position  and  succor  McKean's 
and  Davies's  divisions,  that  had  been  doing  heavy  fighting.  When 
the  enemy  had  displaced  those  two  divisions,  Colonel  Ducat,  acting 
chief  of  staff,  was  sent  with  an  order  to  General  Hamilton  to  file 
by  fours  to  the  left,  and  march  down  until  the  head  of  his  column 
was  opposite  the  right  of  Davies's.  He  was  ordered  then  to  face 
his  brigades  to  the  west-southwest,  and  to  move  down  in  a  south-1 
westerly  direction.  The  enemy's  left  did  not  much  overpass  our 
right,  and  but  few  of  his  troops  were  on  the  line  of  the  old  Con- 
federate works.  Hamilton's  movement,  the  brigades  advancing  en 
echelon,  would  enable  the  rig'ht  of  Buford's  brigade,  which  far 
outlapped  the  enemy's  left,  to  pass  towards  the  enemy's  rear  with 
little  or  no  opposition,  while  the  other  brigade  could  press  back 
the  enemy's  left,  and  by  its  simple  advance  would  drive  them  in, 
and  attack  their  rear. 


138  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

"  Hamilton  told  Colonel  Ducat  that  he  wanted  a  more  positive 
and  definite  order  before  he  made  the  attack.  Ducat  explained  the 
condition  of  the  battle  and  urged  an  immediate  movement,  but  was 
obliged  to  return  to  me  for  an  order  fitted  to  the  situation.  While 
Ducat  was  returning  he  was  fired  on  by  the  enemy's  skirmishers 
who  had  reached  open  ground  over  the  railway  between  Hamilton 
and  Corinth.  Two  orderlies  sent  on  the  same  errand  afterwards 
were  killed  on  the  way.  I  sent  Colonel  Ducat  back  with  further 
explanations  of  the  mjst  explicit  kind,  and  a  little  sketch  to  show 
what  was  to  be  done.  Upon  the  receipt  of  these  Hamilton  put  his 
division  in  motion,  a.  d  by  sunset  had  reached  a  point  opposite 
the  enemy's  left,  and  after  moving  down  a  short  distance  Sulli- 
van's brigade  facing  to  the  west,  crossed  the  narrow  flats  flanking 
the  railway,  and  went  over  into  the  thickets  where  they  had  a  fierce 
fight  with  the  enemy's  left  and  created  great  commotion.  Buford's 
brigade  had  started  in  too  far  to  the  west  and  had  to  rectify  its 
position ;  so  that  the  only  effect  produced  by  Hamilton's  division 
was  to  bring  a  terrific  scare  on  the  enemy  and  a  sharp  fight  with 
one  brigade.  Had  the  movement  been  executed  promptly  after 
three  o'clock,  we  should  have  crushed  the  enemy's  right  and  rear. 
Hamilton's  excuse  that  he  could  not  understand  the  order  shows 
that  even  in  the  rush  of  battle  it  may  be  necessary  to  put  orders  in 
writing,  or  to  have  subordinate  commanders  who  instinctively 
know  or  are  anxious  to  seek  the  key  of  the  battle  and  hasten  to  its 
roar. 

"  At  nightfall  of  the  3d  it  was  evident  that,  unless  the  enemy 
should  withdraw,  he  was  where  I  wished  him  to  be — between  the 
two  railroad  lines  and  to  the  soutn  of  them — for  the  inevitable 
contest  of  the  morrow.  Van  Dorn  says : 

"  I  had  been  in  hopes  that  one  day's  operations  would  end  the 
contest  and  decide  who  should  be  the  victors  on  this  bloody  field. 
But  a  ten  mile's  march  over  a  parched  country  on  dusty  roads 
without  water,  getting  into  line  of  battle  in  forests  with  under- 
growth, and  the  more  than  equal  activity  and  determined  courage 
displayed  by  the  enemy,  commanded  by  one  of  the  ablest  generals 
of  the  United  States  army,  who  threw  all  possible  obstacles  in 
our  way  that  an  active  mind  could  suggest,  prolonged  the  battle 
until  I  saw  with  regret  the  sun  sink  behind  the  horizon  as  the 
last  shot  of  our  sharpshooters  followed  the  retreating  foe  into 
their  innermost  lines.  One  hour  more  of  daylight  and  victory 


Corinth.  139 

would  have  soothed  our  grief  for  the  loss  of  the  gallant  dead  who 
sleep  on  that  lost  but  not  dishonored  field.  The  army  slept  on 
its  arms  within  six  hundred  yards  of  Corinth,  victorious  so  far.' 

"  Alas,  how  uncertain  are  out  best  conclusions !  General  Van 
Dorn,  in  his  subsequent  report  as  above,  bewails  the  lack  of  one 
hour  of  daylight  at  the  close  of  October  3,  1862.  I  bewailed  that 
lack  of  daylight,  which  would  have  brought  Hamilton's  fresh  and 
gallant  division  on  the  Confederate  left  and  rear.  That  hour  of 
daylight  was  not  to  be  had;  and  while  the  regretful  Confederate 
general  lay  down  in  his  bivouac,  I  assembled  my  four  division  com- 
manders, McKean,  Davies,  Stanley,  and  Hamilton,  at  my  head- 
quarters and  arranged  the  dispositions  for  the  fight  of  the  next 
day.  McKean's  division  was  to  hold  the  left,  the  chief  point  being 
College  Hill,  keeping  his  troops  well  under  cover.  Stanley  was  to 
support  the  line  near  the  middle  of  which  was  Battery  Robinett, 
a  little  three-gun  redan  with  a  ditch  five  feet  deep.  Davies  was 
to  extend  from  Stanley's  right  northeasterly  across  the  flat  to  Bat- 
tery Powell,  a  similar  redan  on  the  ridge  east  of  the  Purdy  road. 
Hamilton  was  to  be  on  Davies's  right  with  a  brigade,  and  the  rest 
in  reserve  on  the  common  east  of  the  low  ridge  and  out  of  sight 
from  the  west.  As  the  troons  had  been  on  the  move  since  the 
night  of  October  2d,  and  fighting  all  the  third,  which  was  so 
excessively  hot  that  we  were  obliged  to  send  water  around  in 
wagons,  it  became  my  duty  to  visit  their  lines  and  see  that  the 
weary  troops  were  surely  in  position.  This  I  did  and  returned 
to  my  tent  at  three  o'clock  in  the  morning  after  having  seen  every- 
thing accomplished  and  the  new  line  in  order.  It  was  about  a  mile 
in  extent  and  close  to  the  edge  of  the  north  side  of  the  town.  By 
the  time  I  laid  down  it  was  four  o'clock.  At  half-past  four  the 
enemy  opened  with  a  six-gun  battery.  I  had  no  time  for  break- 
fast. The  troops  got  very  little.  They  had  not  been  allowed  to 
build  fires  during  the  night,  and  were  too  tired  to  intrench. 

"  The  morning  opened  clear  and  grew  to  be  hot ;  it  must  have 
been  ninety-four  degrees  in  the  shade.  Our  people  soon  replied 
to  the  enemy's  battery,  which  then  quit  firing.  I  visited  the  lines 
and  gave  orders  to  our  skirmishers  to  fall  back  the  moment  it 
was  seen  that  the  enemy  was  developing  a  line  of  battle.  About 
eight  o'clock  his  left  crossed  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  railroad  and 
got  into  position  behind  a  spur  of  table  land  to  reach  which  they 
had  moved  by  the  flank  for  about  half  a  mile.  When  they  be- 


140  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

gan  to  advance  in  line  of  battle  they  were  not  over  three  hun- 
dred yards  distant. 

"  I  told  McKean  on  the  left  to  be  very  watchful  of  his  front  lest 
the  enemy  should  get  in  on  his  left,  and  directed  General  Stan- 
ley to  hold  the  reserve  of  his  command  ready  to  help  either  north 
of  the  town  or  aid  McKean  if  required.  I  visited  Battery  Rob- 
inett  and  directed  the  chief  of  artillery,  Colonel  Lothrop,  to  see 
to  the  reserve  artillery,  some  batteries  of  which  were  parked  in 
the  public  square  of  the  town.  I  then  visited  the  line  of  Da- 
vies's  division  in  nearly  open  ground,  with  a  few  logs,  here 
and  there,  for  breastworks,  while  on  his  extreme  right  Sweeny's 
brigade  had  no  cover  save  a  slight  ridge,  on  the  southwest  slope 
of  which,  near  the  crest,  the  men  were  lying  down.  Riding 
along  this  line,  I  observed  the  Confederate  forces  emerging  from 
the  woods  west  of  the  railroad  and  crossing  the  open  ground 
toward  the  Purdy  road.  Our  troops  lying  on  the  ground  could 
see  the  flags  of  the  enemy  and  the  glint  of  the  sunlight  on  their 
bayonets.  It  was  about  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning.  The  air 
was  still  and  hot.  The  sun  shone  fiercely  down.  General  Van 
Dorn  says  in  substance: 

" '  The  Confederate  preparations  for  the  morning  were  that 
Hebert  on  the  left  should  mask  part  of  his  division,  Cabell's 
brigade  en  echelon  on  the  left,  it  having  been  detached  from 
Maury's  division  for  that  purpose ;  Armstrong's  cavalry  brigade 
to  be  across  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  road,  and  if  possible  to  get  some 
of  his  artillery  in  position  across  the  road,  swing  his  left  flank, 
and  follow  down  the  Purdy  Ridge.  On  the  right  Lovell,  with  two 
brigades  in  line  of  battle  and  one  in  reserve,  with  Jackson's 
cavalry  to  the  right,  was  ordered  to  await  the  attack  on  'his  left, 
feeling  his  way  with  sharpshooters  until  Hebert  was  heavily  en- 
gaged with  the  enemy.  Maury  was  to  move  at  the  same  time 
quickly  to  the  front  directly  at  Corinth ;  Jackson  to  burn  the 
railroad  bridge  over  the  Tuscumbia  during  the  night.' 

"  General  Van  Dorn's  attack  on  the  left  was  to  have  been  earlier, 
but  for  the  accident  of  Hebert's  sickness,  which  prevented.  The 
Confederates,  from  behind  a  spur  of  the  Purdy  Ridge,  advanced 
splendidly  to  the  attack.  The  unfavorable  line  occupied  by 
Davies's  division  made  the  resistance  on  that  front  inadequate. 
The  troops  gave  way ;  the  enemy  pursued ;  but  the  firing  from  the 
batteries  on  the  Union  side  crossing  from  our  right  soon  thinned 


Corinth.  141 

their  ranks.  Their  front  line  was  broken,  and  the  heads  of  their 
columns  melted  away.  Some  of  the  enemy's  scattered  line  made 
their  way  into  the  edge  of  the  town ;  a  few  got  into  the  reserve 
artillery,  which  led  to  the  impression  that  they  had  captured  forty 
pieces  of  artillery ;  but  they  were  soon  driven  out  by  Stanley's 
reserve,  and  fled,  taking  nothing  away.  By  one  o'clock  the  ene- 
my had  returned  across  the  railway  into  the  edge  of  woods 
whence  they  had  come. 

"  While  going  to  order  Hamilton's. division  into  action  on  the 
enemy's  left,  I  saw  the  L-shaped  porch  of  a  large  cottage  packed 
full  of  Confederates.  I  ordered  Lieutenant  Immell,  whom 
Loomis  had  sent  with  two  field-pieces,  to  give  them  grape  and  can- 
ister. After  one  round,  only  the  dead  and  dying  were  left  on 
the  porch.  On  reaching  Hamilton's  division  I  ordered  him  to 
send  Sullivan's  brigade  forward.  It  moved  in  line  of  battle  in 
open  ground  a  little  to  the  left  of  Battery  Powell.  Before  its 
splendid  advance  the  scattered  enemy,  which  had  withdrawn,  was 
end-eavoring  to  form  a  line  of  battle,  but  on  the  appearance  of 
these  new  troops  gave  way  and  went  back  into  the  woods,  from 
which  they  never  again  advanced. 

"  Meanwhile  there  had  been  terrific  fighting  at  Battery  Robinett. 
The  roar  of  artillery  and  musketry  for  two  or  three  hours  was 
incessant.  Clouds  of  smoke  filled  the  air  and  obscured  the  sun. 
I  witnessed  the  first  charge  of  the  enemy  there  before  I  went  over 
to  Hamilton.  The  first  repulse  I  did  not  see  because  the  con- 
testants were  clouded  in  smoke.  It  was  an  assault  in  column. 
There  were  three  or  four  assaulting  columns  of  regiments,  prob- 
ably a  hundred  yards  apart.  The  enemy's  left  hand  column 
had  tried  to  make  its  way  down  into  the  low  ground  to  the  right 
of  Robinett,  but  did  not  make  much  progress.  The  other  two 
assaulting  columns  fared  better  because  they  were  on  the  ridge 
where  the  fallen  timber  was  scarcer.  I  ordered  the  Twenty- 
seventh  Ohio  and  Eleventh  Missouri  to  kneel  in  rear  of  the  right 
of  Robinett,  so  as  to  get  out  of  range  of  the  enemy's  fire,  and  the 
moment  he  had  exhausted  himself  to  charge  with  the  bayonet. 
The  third  assault  was  made  just  as  I  was  seeing  Sullivan  into 
the  fight.  I  saw  them  come  upon  the  ridge  and  Battery  Robinett 
belching  its  fire  at  them.  After  the  charge  had  failed  I  saw  the 
Twenty-seventh  Ohio  and  the  Eleventh  Missouri  chasing  them 
with  bayonets. 


142  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

i 

"  The  head  of  the  enemy's  main  column  reached  within  a  few 
feet  of  Battery  Robinett,  and  Colonel  Rogers,  who  was  leading 
it,  colors  in  hand,  dismounted,  planted  a  flagstaff  on  the  bank  of 
the  ditch,  and  fell  there,  shot  by  one  of  our  drummer-boys,  who, 
with  a  pistol,  was  helping  to  defend  Robinett.  I  was  told  he  was 
tlje  fifth  standard-bearer  who  had  fallen  in  that  last  desperate 
charge.  It  was  about  as  good  fighting  on  the  part  of  the  Con- 
federates as  I  ever  saw.  The  columns  were  plowed  through  and 
through  by  our  shot,  but  steadily  closed  up  and  moved  solidly 
till  forced  back. 

"  Just  after  this  last  assault,  for  the  first  time  I  heard  the  word 
'  ranch.'  Passing  over  the  field  on  our  left,  among  the  dead 
and  dying,  I  saw  leaning  against  the  root  of  a  tree  a  wounded 
lieutenant  of  an  Arkansas  regiment  who  had  been  shot  through 
the  foot.  I  offered  him  some  water.  He  said,  '  I  thank  you, 
General;  one  of  your  men  just  gave  me  some  water.'  I  said, 
'Whose  troops  are  you?'  He  replied,  '  Cabell's.'  I  said,  'It 
was  pretty  hot  fighting  here.'  He  answered,  '  Yes,  General,  you 
licked  us  good,  but  we  gave  you  the  best  we  had  in  the  ranch.' 

"  Before  the  enemy's  first  assault  on  Robinett,  I  inspected  the 
woods  towards  our  left  where  I  knew  Lovell's  division  to  be.  I 
said  to  Colonel  Mower,  afterwards  commander  of  the  Seven- 
teenth Army  Corps,  and  familiarly  known  as  '  Fighting  Joe 
Mower ' :  '  Colonel,  take  the  men  now  on  the  skirmish  line,  and 
find  out  what  Lovell  is  doing.'  He  replied,  '  Very  well,  Gen- 
eral.' As  he  was  turning  away  I  added,  '  Feel  them  but  don't 
get  into  their  fingers.'  He  answered  significantly :  '  /'//  feel 
them ! '  Before  I  left  my  position  Mower  had  entered  the  woods, 
and  soon  I  heard  a  tremendous  blast  of  musketry  in  that 
direction.  His  skirmishers  fell  back  into  the  fallen  timber  and 
the  adjutant  reported  to  me.  '  General,  I  think  the  enemy  have 
got  Colonel  Mower ;  I  think  he  is  killed.'  Five  hours  later  when 
we  captured  the  enemy's  field  hospitals,  we  found  tiiat  Colonel 
Mower  had  been  shot  in  the  back  of  the  neck  and  taken  prisoner. 
Expressing  my  joy  at  his  safety,  he  showed  that  he  knew  he  had 
been  unjustly  reported  to  me  the  day  before  to  be  intoxicated,  by 
saying :  '  Yes,  General,  but  if  they  had  reported  me  for  being 
"  shot  in  the  neck,"  to-day  instead  of  yesterday,  it  would  have 
been  correct.' 

"  About  two  o'clock  we  found  that  the  enemy  did  not  intend 


Corinth. 

to  make  another  attack.  Falling  sick  from  exhaustion  I  sought 
the  shade  of  a  tree,  from  which  point  I  saw  three  bursts  of  smoke 
and  said  to  my  staff,  «  They  have  blown  up  some  ammunition 
wagons,  and  are  going  to  retreat.  We  must  push  them  '  I 
was  all  the  more  certain  of  this,  because,  having  failed,  a  good 
commander  like  Van  Dorn  would  use  the  utmost  despatch  in 
putting  the  woods  and  forests  between  him  and  his  pursuing-  foe 
as  well  as  to  escape  the  dangers  to  him  which  might  arise  from 
troops  coming  from  Bolivar. 

Even  at  this  distant  time  memory  lingers  on  the  numerous 
incidents  of  distinguished  bravery  displayed  by  officers  and  men 
who  fought  splendidly  on  the  first  day,  when  we  did  not  know 
what  the  enemy  was  going  to  do.  Staff  as  well  as  line  officers 
distinguished  themselves  while  in  action.  The  first  day  my 
presence  was  required  on  the  main  line,  and  the  fighting  in  front 
of  that  did  not  so  much  come  under  my  eye,  but  the  second  day 
I  was  everywhere  on  the  line  of  battle.  Temple  Clark  of  my 
staff  was  shot  through  the  breast.  My  sabretache  strap  was  cut 
by  a  bullet,  and  my  gloves  were  stained  with  the  blood  of  a  staff 
officer  wounded  at  my  side.  An  alarm  spread  that  I  was  killed, 
but^  was  soon  stopped  by  my  appearance  on  the  field. 

"  Satisfied  that  the  enemy  was  retreating,  I  ordered  Sullivan's 
command  to  push  the  enemy  with  a  heavy  skirmish  line,  and  to 
keep  constantly  feeling  them.  I  rode  along  the  lines  of  the 
commands,  told  them  that,  having  been  moving  and  fighting  for 
three  days  and  two  nights,  I  knew  they  required  rest,  but  that. 
they  could  not  rest  longer  than  was  absolutely  necessary.  I  di- 
rected them  to  proceed  to  their  camps,  provide  five  days'  rations, 
take  some  needed  rest,  and  be  ready  early  next  morning  for  the 
pursuit. 

"  So  ended  the  battle  of  Corinth. 

"General  McPherson,  sent  from  Jackson  with  five  good  regi- 
ments to  help  us,  arrived  and  bivouacked  in  the  public  square  a 
little  before  sunset.  I  intended  to  make  the  pursuit  immediate 
and  vigorous,  but  the  darkness  of  the  night  and  the  roughness 
of  the  country,  covered  with  woods  and  thickets,  made  any  move- 
ment by  night  impracticable  and  by  day  slow  and  difficult.  Gen- 
eral McPherson's  brigade  of  fresh  troops  with  a  battery  was  or- 
dered to  start  at  daylight  and  follow  the  enemy  over  the  Che- 
walla  road ;  Stanley's  and  Davies's  divisions  to  support  him. 


144  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

"  McArthur,  with  all  of  McKean's  division  except  Crocker's 
brigade,  and  with  a  good  battery  and  a  battalion  of  cavalry,  took 
the  route  south  of  the  railroad  toward  Pocahontas ;  McKean 
followed  on  this  route  with  the  rest  of  his  division  and  Ingersoll's 
cavalry;  Hamilton  followed  McKean  with  his  entire  force. 

"  The  enemy  took  the  road  to  Davis's  Bridge  on  the  Hatchie,  by 
way  of  Pocahontas.  Fortunately  General  Hurlbut,  finding  that 
he  was  not  going  to  be  attacked  at  Bolivar,  had  been  looking  in 
our  direction  with  a  view  of  succoring  us  and  met  the  enemy  at 
that  point.  General  Ord,  arriving  there  from  Jackson,  assumed 
command  and  drove  back  the  head  of  the  enemy's  column.  This 
was  a  critical  time  for  the  Confederate  forces ;  but  the  reader 
will  note  that  a  retreating  force,  knowing  where  it  has  to  go  and 
having  to  look  for  nothing  except  an  attack  on  its  rear,  always 
moves  with  more  freedom  than  a  pursuing  force.  This  is  espe- 
cially so  where  the  country  is  covered  with  woods  and  thickets, 
and  the  roads  narrow.  Advancing  forces  always  have  to  feel 
their  way  for  fear  of  being  ambushed. 

"  The  speed  made  by  our  forces,  from  Corinth,  during  the  5th, 
was  not  to  my  liking,  but  with  such  a  commander  as  McPherson 
in  the  advance,  I  could  not  doubt  that  it  was  all  that  was  possible. 
On  the  6th  better  progress  was  made.  From  Jonesborough,  on 
October  7th,  I  telegraphed  General  Grant: 

"  '  Do  not,  I  entreat  you,  call  Hurlbut  back ;  let  him  send  away 
his  wounded.  It  surely  is  easier  to  move  the  sick  and  wounded 
than  to  remove  both.  I  propose  to  push  the  enemy,  so  that  we 
need  but  the  most  trifling  guards  behind  us.  Our  advance  is 
beyond  Ruckersville.  Hamilton  will  seize  the  Hatchie  crossing 
on  the  Ripley  road  to-night.  A  very  intelligent,  honest  young 
Irishman,  an  ambulance  driver,  deserted  from  the  rebels,  says 
that  they  wished  to  go  together  to  railroad  near  Tupelo,  where 
they  will  meet  the  nine  thousand  exchanged  prisoners,  but  he 
says  they  are  much  scattered  and  demoralized.  They  have  much 
artillery.' 

"  From  the  same  place,  at  midnight,  after  learning  from  the 
front  that  McPherson  was  in  Ripley,  I  telegraphed  General 
Grant  as  follows : 

"  GENERAL  : — Yours  8.30  P.  M.  received.  Our  troops  occupy 
Ripley.  I  most  deeply  dissent  from  your  views  as  to  the  manner 
of  pursuing.  We  have  defeated,  routed,  and  demoralized  the 


Corinth.  145 

army  which  holds  the  Lower  Mississippi  Valley.  We  have  the 
two  railroads  leading  down  toward  the  Gulf  through  the  most 
productive  parts  of  the  State,  into  which  we  can  now  pursue 
them  with  safety.  The  effect  of  our  return  to  old  position  will 
be  to  pen  them  up  in  the  only  corn  county  they  'have  west  of 
Alabama,  including  the  Tuscumbia  Valley,  and  to  permit  them  to 
recruit  their  forces,  advance  and  occupy  their  old  ground,  reduc- 
ing us  to  the  occupation  of  a  defensive  position,  barren  and  worths 
less,  with  a  long  front,  over  which  they  can  harass  us  until  bad 
weather  prevents  an  effectual  advance  except  on  the  railroads, 
when  time,  fortifications,  and  rolling  stock  will  again  render  them 
superior  to  us.  Our  force,  including  what  you  have  with  Hurl- 
but,  will  garrison  Corinth  and  Jackson,  and  enable  us  to  push 
them.  Our  advance  will  cover  even  Holly  Springs,  which  would 
be  ours  when  we  want  it.  All  that  is  needful  is  to  continue  pur- 
suing and  whip  them.  We  have  whipped,  and  should  now  push 
them  to  the  wall  and  capture  all  the  rolling  stock  of  their  rail- 
roads. Bragg's  army  alone,  west  of  the  Alabama  River,  and 
occupying  Mobile,  could  repair  the  damage  we  have  it  in  our 
power  to  do  them.  If,  after  considering  these  matters,  you  still 
consider  the  order  for  my  return  to  Corinth  expedient,  I  will 
obey  it  and  abandon  the  chief  fruits  of  a  victory,  but  I  beseech 
you,  bend  everything  to  push  them  while  they  are  broken  and 
hungry,  weary  and  ill-supplied.  Draw  everything  possible  from 
Memphis  to  help  move  on  Holly  Springs,  and  let  us  concentrate. 
Appeal  to  the  governors  of  the  States  to  rush  down  some  twenty 
or  thirty  new  regiments  to  hold  our  rear,  and  we  can  make  a 
triumph  of  our  start.' 

"  As  it  was,  General  Grant  telegraphed  to  General  Hallbeck  at 
9  A.  M.  the  next  day,  October  8th : 

"  '  Rosecrans  has  followed  rebels  to  Ripley.  Troops  from  Boli- 
var will  occupy  Grand  Junction  to-morrow,  with  re-inforcements 
rapidly  sent  on  from  the  new  levies.  I  can  take  everything  on 
the  Mississippi  Central  road.  I  ordered  Rosecrans  back  last 
night,  but  he  was  so  averse  to  returning  that  I  have  directed  him 
to  remain  still  until  you  can  be  heard  from.' 

"  Again  on  the  same  day,  October  8th,  General  Grant  tele- 
graphed to  General  Halleck: 

"  '  Before  telegraphing  you  this  morning  for  reinforcements  to 
follow  up  our  victories  I  ordered  General  Rosecrans  to  return. 
10 


146  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

He  showed  such  reluctance  that  I  consented  to  allow  him  to  re- 
main until  you  could  be  heard  from  if  further  reinforcements 
could  be  had.  On  reflection  I  deem  it  idle  to  pursue  further  with- 
out more  preparation,  and  have  for  the  third  time  ordered  his 
return/ 

"  This  was  early  in  October.  The  weather  was  cool,  and  the 
roads  in  prime  order.  The  country  along  the  Mississippi  Central 
to  Grenada,  and  especially  below  that  place,  was  a  corn  country 
— a  rich  farming  country  and  the  corn  ripe.  If  Grant  had  not 
stopped  us,  we  could  have  gone  to  Vicksburg.  My  judgment 
was  to  go  on,  and  with  the  help  suggested  we  could  have  done 
so.  The  enemy  were  retreating  under  the  pressure  of  a  victo- 
rious force  and  experiencing  all  the  weakening  effects  of  such  an 
army  whose  means  of  supplies  and  munitions  are  always  difficult 
to  keep  in  order.  We  had  Sherman  at  Memphis  with  two  divi- 
sions, and  we  had  Hurlbut  at  Bolivar  with  one  division,  and  John 
A.  Logan  at  Jackson  with  six  regiments.  With  these  there  was 
nothing  to  save  Mississippi  from  our  grasp.  We  were  about  six 
days'  march  from  Vicksburg,  and  Grant  could  have  put  his  force 
through  to  it  with  my  column  as  the  center  one  of  pursuit.  Con- 
federate officers  told  me  afterwards  that  they  never  were  so 
scared  in  their  lives  as  they  were  after  the  defeat  before  Corinth. 

"  We  have  thus  given  the  facts  of  the  fight  at  Corinth,  the  imme- 
diate pursuit,  the  causes  of  the  return,  and  as  well  the  differing 
views  of  the  Federal  commanders  in  regard  to  the  situation.  Let 
the  judgments  of  the  future  be  formed  upon  the  words  of  im- 
partial history. 

"  In  a  general  order  announcing  the  results  of  the  battle  to  my 
command  I  stated  that  we  killed  and  buried  1,423  officers  and 
men  of  the  enemy,  including  some  of  their  most  distinguished 
officers.  Their  wounded  at  the  usual  rate  would  exceed  5,000. 
We  took  2,268  prisoners,  among  whom  were  137  field-officers, 
captains,  and  subalterns.  [The  official  Confederate  reports  make 
their  loss  505  killed,  2,150  wounded,  2,183  missing — EDITOR.] 
We  captured  3,300  stand  of  small  arms,  fourteen  stand  of  colors, 
two  pieces  of  artillery,  and  a  large  quantity  of  equipments.  We 
pursued  his  retreating  column  forty  miles  with  all  arms,  and  with 
cavalry  sixty  miles,  and  were  ready  to  follow  him  to  Vicksburg, 
had  we  received  the  orders. 


Corinth.  147 

"  Our  loss  was  355  killed,  1,841  wounded,  324  captured  or  miss- 
ing. 

"  In  closing  his  report  Van  Dorn  said : 

4  A  hand-to-hand  contest  was  being  enacted  in  the  very  yard 
of  General  Rosecran's  headquarters  and  in  the  streets  of  the  town. 
The  heavy  guns  were  silenced,,  and  all  seemed  to  be  about  ended 
when  a  heavy  fire  from  fresh  troops  from  luka,  Burnsville,  and 
Rienzi,  who  had  succeeded  in  reaching  Corinth,  poured  into  our 
thinned  ranks.  Exhausted  from  loss  of  sleep,  wearied  from  hard 
marching  and  fighting,  companies  and  regiments  without  officers, 
our  troops — let  no  one  censure  them — gave  way.  The  day  was 
lost.  .  .  .  The  attempt  at  Corinth  has  failed,  and  in  consequence 
I  am  condemned  and  have  been  superseded  in  my  command.  In 
my  zeal  for  my  country  I  may  have  ventured  too  far  without 
adequate  means,  and  I  bow  to  the  opinion  of  the  people  whom  I 
serve.  Yet  I  feel  that  if  the  spirits  of  the  gallant  dead,  who  now 
Lie  beneath  the  batteries  of  Corinth,  see  and  judge  the  motives 
of  men,  they  do  not  rebuke  me,  for  there  is  no  sting  in  my  con- 
science, nor  does  retrospection  admonish  me  of  error  or  of  a  reck- 
less disregard  of  their  valued  lives.' 

"  And  General  Price  says  in  his  report : 

44 '  The  history  of  this  war  contains  no  bloodier  page,  perhaps, 
than  that  which  will  record  this  fiercely  contested  battle.  The 
strongest  expressions  fall  short  of  my  admiration  of  the  gallant 
conduct  of  the  officers  and  men  under  my  command.  Words  can- 
not add  luster  to  the  fame  they  have  acquired  through  deeds  of 
noble  daring  which,  living  through  future  time,  will  shed  about 
every  man,  officer,  and  soldier  who  stood  to  his  arms  through  this 
struggle,  a  halo  of  glory  as  imperishable  as  it  is  brilliant.  They 
have  won  to  their  sisters  and  daughters  the  distinguished  honor; 
set  before  them  by  a  general  of  their  love  and  admiration  upon 
the  event  of  an  impending  battle  upon  the  same  field,  of  the  proud 
exclamation,  44  My  brother,  father,  was  at  the  great  battle  of 
Corinth." 

GENERAL  GRANT  ON   CORINTH. 

44  On  the  igth  of  September,  1862,  General  Geo.  H.  Thomas  was 
ordered  east  to  reinforce  Buell.  This  threw  the  army  at  my  com- 
mand still  more  on  the  defensive.  The  Memphis  and  Charleston 
railroad  was  abandoned,  except  at  Corinth,  and  small  forces  were 


148  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

left  at  Chewalla  and  Grand  Junction.  Soon  afterwards  the 
latter  of  these  two  places  was  given  up  and  Bolivar  became  our 
most  advanced  position  on  the  Mississippi  Central  railroad.  Our 
cavalry  was  kept  well  to  the  front  and  frequent  expeditions  were 
sent  out  to  watch  the  movements  of  the  enemy.  We  were  in  a 
country  where  nearly  all  the  people,  except  the  negroes,  were  hos- 
tile to  us  and  friendly  to  the  cause  we  were  trying'  to  suppress. 

"  On  the  22d  Bolivar  was  threatened  by  a  large  force  from 
south  of  Grand  Junction,  supposed  to  be  twenty  regiments  of 
infantry  with  cavalry  and  artillery.  I  reinforced  Bolivar,  and 
went  to  Jackson  in  person  to  superintend  the  movement  of  troops 
to  whatever  point  the  attack  might  be  made  upon.  The  troops 
from  Corinth  were  brought  up  in  time  to  repel  the  threatened 
movement  without  a  battle.  Our  cavalry  followed  the  enemy 
south  of  Davis'  Mills  in  Mississippi. 

"  On  the  3Oth  I  found  that  Van  Dorn  was  apparently  endeavor- 
ing to  strike  the  Mississippi  River  above  Memphis.  At  the  same 
time  other  points  within  my  command  were  so  threatened  that 
it  was  impossible  to  concentrate  a  force  to  drive  him  away. 
There  was  at  this  juncture  a  large  Union  force  at  Helena,  Arkan- 
sas, which,  had  it  been  within  my  command,  I  could  have  ordered 
across  the  river  to  attack  and  break  up  the  Mississippi  Central 
railroad  far  to  the  south.  This  would  not  only  have  called  Van 
Dorn  back,  but  would  have  compelled  the  retention  of  a  large 
rebel  force  far  to  the  south  to  prevent  a  repetition  of  such  raids 
on  the  enemy's  line  of  supplies.  Geographical  lines  between  the 
commands  during  the  rebellion  were  not  always  well  chosen,  or 
they  were  too  rigidly  adhered  to. 

"  Van  Dorn  did  not  attempt  to  get  upon  the  line  above  Memphis. 
as  had  apparently  been  his  intention.  He  was  simply  covering 
a  deeper  design ;  one  much  more  important  to  his  cause.  By 
the  ist  of  October  (1862)  it  was  fully  apparent  that  Corinth  was 
to  be  attacked  with  great  force  and  determination,  and  that  Van 
Dorn,  Lovell,  Price,  Villepigue  and  Rust  had  joined  their 
strength  for  this  purpose.  There  was  some  skirmishing  outside 
of  Corinth  with  the  advance  of  the  enemy  on  the  3d.  The 
rebels  massed  in  the  northwest  angle  of  the  Memphis  and  Charles- 
ton and  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  railroads,  and  were  thus  between  the 
troops  at  Corinth  and  all  possible  reinforcements.  Any  fresh 
troops  for  us  must  come  by  a  circuitous  route. 


Corinth.  149 

"  On  the  night  of  the  3d  accordingly,  I  ordered  General  Mc- 
Pherson,  who  was  at  Jackson,  to  join  Rosecrans  at  Corinth,  with 
reinforcements  picked  up  along  the  line  of  the  railroad  equal  to 
a  brigade.  Hurlbut  had  been  ordered  from  Bolivar  to  march  for 
the  same  destination ;  and  as  Van  Dorn  was  coming  upon  Corinth 
from  the  northwest  some  of  his  men  fell  in  with  the  advance  of 
Hurlbut's  and  some  skirmishing  ensued  on  the  evening  of  the 
3d.  On  the  4th  Van  Dorn  made  a  dashing  attack,  hoping,  no 
doubt,  to  capture  Rosecrans  before  his  reinforcements  could  come 
up.  In  that  case  the  enemy  himself  could  have  occupied  the  de- 
fenses of  Corinth  and  held  at  bay  all  the  Union  troops  that  ar- 
rived. In  fact  he  could  have  taken  the  offensive  against  the  re- 
inforcements with  three  or  four  times  their  number  and  still  left 
a  sufficient  garrison  in  the  works  about  Corinth  to  hold  them. 
He  came  near  success,  some  of  his  troops  penetrating  the  Na- 
tional lines  at  least  once,  but  the  works  that  were  built  after 
Halleck's  departure  enabled  Rosecrans  to  hold  his  position  until 
the  troops  of  both  McPherson  and  Hurlbut  approached  towards 
the  rebel  front  and  rear.  The  enemy  was  finally  driven  back 
with  great  slaughter;  all  their  charges,  made  with  great  gallan- 
try, were  repulsed.  The  loss  on  our  side  was  heavy,  but  nothing 
to  compare  with  Van  Dorn's.  McPherson  came  up  with  the 
train  of  cars  bearing  his  command  as  close  to  the  enemy  as  was 
prudent,  debarked  on  the  rebel  flank  and  got  in  to  the  support  of 
Rosecrans  just  after  the  repulse.  His  approach,  as  well  as  that 
of  Hurlbut,  was  known  to  the  enemy  and  had  a  moral  effect. 
General  Rosecrans,  however,  failed  to  follow  up  the  victory, 
although  I  had  given  specific  orders  in  advance  of  the  battle  for 
him  to  pursue  the  moment  the  enemy  was  repelled.  He  did  not 
do  so,  and  I  repeated  the  order  after  the  battle.  In  the  first 
order  he  was  notified  that  the  force  of  4,000  men  which  was  going 
to  his  assistance  would  be  in  great  peril  if  the  enemy  was  not 
pursued. 

"  General  Ord  had  joined  Hurlbut  on  the  4th,  and  being  senior 
took  command  of  his  troops.  This  force  encountered  the  head 
of  Van  Dorn's  retreating  column  just  as  it  was  crossing  the 
Hatchie  by  a  bridge  some  ten  miles  out  from  Corinth.  The 
bottom  land  here  was  swampy  and  bad  for  the  operations  of 
troops,  making  a  good  place  to  get  an  enemy  into.  Ord  attacked 
the  troops  that  had  crossed  the  bridge  and  drove  them  back  in 


150  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

a  panic.  Many  were  killed,  and  others  were  drowned  by  being 
pushed  off  the  bridge  in  their  hurried  retreat.  Ord  followed  and 
met  the  main  force.  He  was  too  weak  in  numbers  to  assault,  but 
he  held  the  bridge  and  compelled  the  enemy  to  resume  his  retreat 
by  another  bridge  higher  up  the  stream.  Ord  was  wounded  in 
this  engagement  and  the  command  devolved  on  Hurlbut. 

"  Rosecrans  did  not  start  in  pursuit  till  the  morning  of  the  5th : 
and  then  took  the  wrong  road.  Moving  in  the  enemy's  country 
he  traveled  with  a  wagon  train  to  carry  provisions  and  muni- 
tions of  war.  His  march  was  therefore  towards  his  supplies. 
Two  or  three  hours  of  pursuit  on  the  day  of  battle,  without  any- 
thing except  what  the  men  carried  on  their  persons,  would  have 
been  worth  more  than  any  pursuit  commenced  the  next  day  could 
have  possibly  been.  Even  when  he  did  start,  if  Rosecrans  had 
followed  the  route  taken  by  the  enemy,  he  would  have  come  upon 
Van  Dorn  in  a  swamp  with  a  stream  in  front  and  Ord  holding 
the  only  bridge;  but  he  took  the  road  leading  north  and  towards 
Chewalla  instead  of  west,  and,  after  having  marched  as  far  as  the 
enemy  had  moved  to  get  to  the  Hatchie,  he  was  as  far  from  battle 
as  when  he  started.  Hurlbut  had  not  the  numbers  to  meet  any 
such  force  as  Van  Dorn's  if  they  had  been  in  any  mood  for 
fighting,  and  he  might  have  been  in  great  peril. 

"  I  now  regarded  the  time  to  accomplish  anything  by  pursuit  as 
past,  and  after  Rosecrans  reached  Jonesboro,  I  ordered  him  to 
return.  He  kept  on  to  Ripley,  however,  and  was  persistent  in 
wanting  to  go  farther.  I  thereupon  ordered  him  to  halt  and  sub- 
mitted the  matter  to  the  general-in-chief,  who  allowed  me  to 
exercise,  my  judgment  in  the  matter,  but  inquired,  '  Why  not 
pursue?'  Upon  this  I  ordered  Rosecrans  back.  Had  he  gone 
much  farther  he  would  have  met  a  greater  force  than  Van  Dorn 
had  at  Corinth,  and  behind  intrenchments  or  on  chosen  ground, 
and  the  probabilities  are  he  would  have  lost  his  army. 

"  The  battle  of  Corinth  was  bloody,  our  loss  being  315  killed, 
i, 812  wounded  and  232  missing.  The  enemy  lost  many  more. 
Rosecrans  reported  1,423  dead  and  2,225  prisoners.  We  fought 
behind  breastworks,  which  accounts  in  some  degree  for  the  dis- 
parity. Among  the  killed  on  our  side  was  General  Hackelman. 
General  Oglesby  was  badly,  it  was  for  some  time  supposed  mor- 
tally wounded.  I  received  a  congratulatory  letter  from  the  Pres- 
ident, which  expressed  also  his  sorrow  for  the  losses. 


Corinth.  151 

"  The  battle  was  recognized  by  me  as  being  a  decided  victory, 
though  not  so  complete  as  I  had  hoped  for,  nor  nearly  so  com- 
plete as  I  now  think  was  within  the  easy  grasp  of  the  commanding 
officer  at  Corinth.  Since  the  war  it  is  known  that  the  result,  as 
it  was,  was  a  crushing  blow  to  the  enemy,  and  felt  by  him  much 
more  than  it  was  appreciated  at  the  North.  The  battle  relieved 
me  from  any  further  anxiety  for  the  safety  of  the  territory  within 
my  jurisdiction,  and  soon  after  receiving  reinforcements  I  sug- 
gested to  the  general-in-chief  a  forward  movement  against  Vicks- 
burg.  .  .  . 

"  At  the  close  of  the  operations  just  described  my  force  in  round 
numbers  was  48,500.  Of  these  4,800  were  in  Kentucky  and  Illi- 
nois, 7,000  in  Memphis,  19,200  from  Mound  City  south,  and 
17,500  at  Corinth.  General  McClernand  had  been  authorized 
from  Washington  to  go  north  and  organize  troops  to  be  used  in 
opening  the  Mississippi.  These  new  levies  with  other  reinforce- 
ments now  began  to  come  in," 

Prior  to  the  attack  on  Corinth  there  was  much  correspond- 
ence between  the  President,  Generals  Bragg,  Van  Dorn  and 
Price,  showing  how  entirely  agreed  they  were  upon  the  assault, 
and  how  urgent  the  demand  for  it,  as  necessary  to  reach  West 
Tennessee,  and  combining  with  General  Bragg  to  drive  the  enemy 
from  Tennessee  and  Kentucky.  Corinth  commanding  several 
railroads  and  its  armed  outposts  threatening  General  Pember- 
ton's  forces  and  Vicksburg.  (See  Appendix.) 

CONTEMPORANEOUS     NEWSPAPER     ACCOUNT     OF    THE     BATTLE    OF 
CORINTH — FULL    PARTICULARS. 

OCTOBER  n,  1862. 

EDITOR'S  APPEAL: — Truth,  justice  and  the  holy  cause  of  in- 
dependence for  which  we  struggle  demand  that  some  corrective 
should  be  given  to  the  stupendous  and  mischievous  errors,  rife  in 
the  country  and  the  press,  touching  the  late  battle  of  Corinth,  and 
the  conduct  of  the  retreat  of  our  army  from  that  memorable  field. 
It  is  enough  to  chill  the  valor  and  patriotism  of  the  soldier  to  find 


1 52  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

his  most  skilful  and  his  bravest  deeds  set  down  to  the  account  of  a 
blundering  and  stupid  inefficiency,  and  bruited  by  the  press  over 
every  hearthstone  in  the  land. 

I  fear  that  the  lamented  and  immortal  Albert  Sydney  Johnston 
is  not  to  be  the  only  general  sacrificed  by  croakers  who  hate  the 
smell  of  gunpowder!  It  may  be  true,  as  he  said,  "  that  the  people 
are  right  in  demanding  success  as  the  only  test  of  merit,"  but  our 
fathers  acted  on  a  different  idea,  or  else  George  Washington 
could  not  long  have  remained  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  army 
of  the  Revolution.  Indeed,  no  general  of  that  day  could  have 
escaped  banishment.  The  Conway  cabal  did  not  triumph  over 
the  good  sense  of  our  ancestors,  and  we  may  hope  that  the 
factions  of  our  day  may  not  without  resistance  blur  the  fame  of 
officers  whose  military  achievements  deserve  the  nation's  grati- 
tude. 

Of  the  battle  of  Corinth,  history  will  say  it  was  only  not  a  vic- 
tory. In  all  the  elements  of  military  science — conception,  plan 
of  attack  and  execution  of  design — it  reflects  the  highest  credit 
on  the  general  who  commanded  the  forces,  and  it  covered  with 
glory  the  subordinate  generals,  officers  and  men  engaged  in  the 
terrific  struggle.  On  the  close  of  the  contest  on  the  night  of  the 
first  day  (Friday),  General  Van  Dorn  received  the  congratula- 
tions of  every  general  officer  under  his  command ;  and,  in  the 
hearts  of  his  men,  lying  prostrate,  parched  by  thirst,  and  weary 
from  excess  of  valor,  there  was  but  one  feeling — pride  that  they 
served  under  a  commander  who  had  taught  them,  that  day,  hts 
capacity  to  command  and  guide  the  currents  of  a  wide-spread 
battle-field. 

Price,  on  the  left  and  center,  and  Lovell,  on  the  right,  each  re- 
ceived on  the  field,  amid  the  terrible  contest,  written  congratula- 
tory orders,  for  their  skill  and  prowess  in  carrying,  against  su- 
perior forces,  the  intrenchments  of  the  enemy ;  not  forgetting  the 
noble  men  they  led. 

At  the  close  of  the  fight  on  Friday,  Villepigue,  Bowen  and 
Rust,  under  Lovell — Maury,  Cabell,  Phipher,  Hebert,  Green, 
Gates,  Martin,  Moore,  Irwin,  and  all  others  under  Price — re- 
ceived the  universal  meed  of  applause,  so  grateful  to  the  soldier's 
heart,  when  it  follows  heroic  deeds. 

Two  hours  of  daylight  on  Friday  would  have  made  us  masters 
of  Corinth.  The  place  was  saved  by  the  extraordinary  exertious 


Corinth.  153 

of  Rosecrans,  who,  working  with  indefatigable  labor  until  day- 
break, brought  reinforcements  of  eight  thousand  men — not,  as  the 
"  very  intelligent  gentleman  who  enlightens  the  Mississippian  de- 
clares, from  Cairo  and  Columbus,  by  the  oversight  of  our  general 
in  not  cutting  the  railroad  " — but  from  Jacinto,  Rienzi,  luka  and 
Kossuth. 

This  force  was  Concentrated  at  daylight  upon  the  strong  central 
fortifications  of  the  town,  before  which  the  center  and  left  of  our 
army  lay,  and  where  our  gallant  and  noble  soldiers  threw  them- 
selves with  the  early  dawn  into  these  formidable  works.  They 
were  too  few  to  hold  the  places  their  valor  had  won.  These  were 
the  forces  under  the  gallant  Price.  On  the  right,  Lovell's  divi- 
sion having  taken  the  exterior  line  of  intrenchments,  and  after 
hard  fighting  captured  a  fort,  found  his  wing  confronted  by  the 
last  strongholds  which  guarded  the  town  on  the  west.  His  troops, 
not  having  been  once  repulsed  in  their  victorious  march,  were  in 
the  act  of  storming  these  fast  works  when  he  received  orders  to 
retire  and  form  the  rear  guard  to  protect  and  cover  the  retreat. 

General  Van  Dorn  had  cut  off  all  reinforcements  from  Bolivar, 
by  so  maneuvering  as  to  menace  that  point,  and  by  cutting  the 
railroad  between  it  and  Corinth. 

Rosecrans,  on  Friday  night,  expected  to  lose  Corinth.  He 
started  his  train  in  retreat  toward  Farmington,  and  burnt  some 
of  his  military  stores.  He  has  deservedly  won  a  right  to  promo- 
tion by  the  toil,  skill  and  energy  of  his  defense. 

As  to  the  casualties  of  the  fight,  we  have  every  reason  to  con- 
clude that  in  the  killed  and  wounded,  and  prisoners  taken  on  the 
field,  the  loss  of  the  enemy  was  greater  than  our  own.  The 
stragglers  of  our  army,  worn  out  by  the  excessive  heat  and  burn- 
ing thirst  of  a  two  days'  struggle,  after  rapid  marches,  may  swell 
their  list  of  prisoners. 

We  captured  at  Corinth  three  pieces  of  artillery,  and  lost  one 
piece  by  a  mistake  of  the  driver,  who  ran  it  into  town. 

THE  RETREAT 

Was  conducted  in  a  masterly  manner,  as  its  results  proclaim. 
A  baggage  train,  six  or  seven  miles  in  length,  was  brought  off  in 
safety.  The  small  loss  of  ten  or  twelve  wagons  was  occasioned 


154  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

by  the  silly  panic  of  the  drivers.  There  were  but  two  contests 
on  the  retreat.  The  first  occurred  at  Davis's  bridge  on  the  Hat- 
chie  River,  near  Pocahontas,  where  the  forces  of  Hurlbut's  divi- 
sion, from  Bolivar — afterwards  reinforced  by  Ross's  division, 
from  the  same  point — disputed  the  passage  of  the  Hatchie.  The 
contest  was  short  and  bloody.  Morris's  brigade  was  in  the  ad- 
vance, a  portion  of  his  force — about  five  hundred  in  number — 
crossing  the  bridge.  A  part  of  Phifer's  and  a  portion  of  Camp- 
bell's brigades  were  pushed  up  in  support,  making  altogether 
about  1,000  men  engaged  on  our  side.  At  that  point  the  noble, 
high-toned,  gallant  soldier  and  gentleman,  Major  Balfour,  on 
Van  Dorn's  staff,  fell  mortally  wounded,  in  the  effort  to  rally  our 
men,  pressed  and  overpowered  by  really  superior  numbers.  The 
enemy  succeeded  in  gaining  the  bridge,  but  withdrew  after  a 
short  contest,  on  the  approach  of  Hebert's  division,  commanded 
by  General  Green.  During  this  combat  at  the  Hatchie  bridge, 
the  forces  of  Rosecrans,  from  Corinth,  attacked  our  rear  guard, 
six  miles  distant,  at  the  bridge  across  the  Tuscumbia. 

Bowen's  brigade  at  this  latter  point  repulsed  the  enemy  with 
great  slaughter,  and  that  was  the  last  contest  on  the  retreat.  Van 
Dorn  retired  Price's  division  up  the  Hatchie  to  Krum's  mill,  pre- 
ceded by  his  immense  train  of  baggage,  unmolested ;  repaired  a 
bridge  at  that  point,  which  had  been  burnt  by  General  Armstrong 
that  morning — crossed  and  camped.  Lovell's  division  followed 
the  same  route,  unmolested — and  in  this  order  our  entire  army 
has  marched  to  that  point.  "  The  very  intelligent  gentleman  " 
of  the  Mississippian  puts  down  as  one  of  the  two  "  causes  of  our 
reverses,"  the  burning  of  a  bridge  across  Cypress  creek,  ten  miles 
from  Corinth — at  which  point  the  enemy  held  a  commanding 
position,  where  our  men  had  to  run  down  the  creek  and  cross  over 
a  mill  dam,  etc.  There  was  no  bridge  burnt  or  injured,  on  our 
entire  route,  from  Corinth  to  near  Pocahontas,  on  the  Hatchie — 
that  bridgje  was  not  burnt — its  passage  was  disputed  by  the  en- 
emy in  position — but  the  contest  cost  them  dearly.  They  lost 
upwards  of  one  hundred  killed,  and  between  four  and  five  hundred 
wounded,  among  whom  were  Generals  Ord  and  Veitch — while 
our  loss  was  in  prisoners  between  four  and  five  hundred,  and 
about  forty  or  sixty  killed  and  wounded.  At  Tuscumbia  the 
bridge  was  perfect — Price's  division  had  crossed  it — and  Lovell's 
division  was  approaching  it.  The  enemy  were  not  in  position 


Corinth.  155 

there— but  were  sent  howling  back  before  they  reached  it.  Bowen 
destroyed  it  after  he  crossed. 

I  _  have  spoken  in  warm  but  merited  praise  of  all  the  officers 
and  men  engaged  in  the  bloody  field  of  Corinth.  There  is  a  class 
of  soldiers  of  whom  I  have  not  spoken — a  large  class — would  it 
had  been  smaller! — a  class,  in  numbers,  sufficient  to  form  a  bri- 
gade— a  class  of  stragglers,  who  were  not  at  Corinth  on  either 
of  the  long  to  be  remembered  days  of  Friday  and  Saturday— who 
deserted  our  advancing  columns — who  learned  the  currents  of 
the  fight  only  by  those  cannonades  whose  distant  thunder  made 
the  firm  earth  reel  and  tremble  under  their  feet — whose  coward 
footsteps  turned  away  from  the  fields  of  carnage,  and  whose  lying 
tongues  spread  a  panic  on  every  mile  of  their  ignominious  flight. 
It  is  a  pity  to  find  their  caitiff  stories  of  blundering  generals  and 
terrible  disasters  stiffened  into  type. 

Whatever  may  be  the  sum  of  hurtful  and  erroneous  criticism 
heaped  upon  some  of  the  generals  who  fought  at  Corinth,  by  those 
ignorant  of  their  action  on  the  field,  it  ought  to  be  a  solace  to  offi- 
cers thus  defamed  to  know  that  they  are  cherished  by  the  soldiers 
they  led,  in  so  much  that  even  retreat  could  not  stifle  their  cheers 
of  admiration. 

Rosecrans  is,  of  course,  inferior  to  the  military  critics  who  de- 
nounce the  action  of  Van  Dorn ;  but  it  is  safe  to  say  that  he  would 
not  readily  undergo  again  the  toil  by  which  he  saved  Corinth. 

As  to  Lovell,  so  bitterly  and  undeservedly  assailed — his  cool 
courage,  self-possession  and  skill  in  handling  his  force  attracted 
the  admiration  of  the  army. 

I  see  that  in  the  list  of  the  meritorious  I  have  failed  to  mention 
General  Armstrong  and  Colonel  Jackson,  who  commanded  our 
cavalry.  Each  of  those  gallant  officers  greatly  distinguished 
themselves  by  their  admirable  use  of  their  respective  forces  in 
protecting  the  flanks  of  our  line.  Indeed,  without  exception,  the 
conduct  of  all  our  officers,  of  every  grade,  was  worthy  of  all 
praise.  And  Adams,  in  his  vigilance  in  watching  the  enemy  ad- 
vancing from  Bolivar  to  the  Hatchie  bridge,  commanded  the 
thanks  of  the  Commanding  General." 


Thie  brunt  of  the  failure  to  take  Corinth,  after  the  fiercely 
fought  contest,  loss  of  life  and  great  suffering,  fell  upon  the 


156  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

hapless  head  of  General  Van  Dorn,  and  the  ready-made  abuse 
of  the  press  on  account  of  "the  martial  law  order  at  Vicksburg 
received  new  impetus  by  this  unfortunate,  unavoidable  and  san- 
guinary struggle.  And  so  severe,  so  unmerited,  and  so  vicious 
were  the  charges  spread  broadcast  by  stragglers  from  the  fight 
on  the  day  of  battle,  that  he  requested  and  was  granted  a  court 
of  inquiry,  the  details  of  which  involve  so  many  historic  events, 
and  so  completely  vindicate  that  officer  from  each  and  every 
charge,  that  the  proceedings  are  here  given  in  full.  General  Van. 
Dorn  addressed  the  court  saying  in  eloquent  terms : 

"  Gentlemen  of  the  Court,  these  extended  remarks  are  not 
meant  alone  for  your  ears.  In  thistribunal  I  know  that  my  char- 
acter is  safe ;  but  the  accusations  against  me  will  take  an  en- 
during form  by  becoming  part  of  the  archives  of  the  nation,  and 
the  jealousy  with  which  a  soldier  guards  his  reputation  prompts 
me  to  place  by  their  side  an  antidote  to  the  poison  they  contain." 


PROCEEDINGS. 

Proceedings  of  a  Court  of  Inquiry  convened  at  Abbeville, 
Mississippi,  by  virtue  of  the  following  order : 

[EXTRACT.] 

HEADQUARTERS,  DEPARTMENT  OF  MISSISSIPPI  &  EAST  LOUISIANA, 

Jackson,  Miss.,  Nov.  ?th,  1862. 

Special  Orders,  No.  24.] 

At  the  request  of  Major-General  Earl  Van  Dorn,  P.  A.  C.  S., 
a  Court  of  Inquiry  will  convene  at  Holly  Springs,  or  wherever 
the  Army  of  Operations  may  be,  on  Monday,  the  loth  of  No- 
vember, 1862,  at  8  o'clock  A.  M.,  or  as  soon  thereafter  as  may  be 
practicable,  for  the  investigation  of  certain  allegations,  made  by 
Brigadier-General  John  S.  Bow-en  against  Major-General  Earl 
Van  Dorn,  relative  to  the  advance  of  his  forces  on  Corinth,  on  or 
about  the  3d,  4th  and  5th  of  October,  1862,  and  of  all  points  con- 
nected with  the  movement  upon  and  the  retirement  before  Corinth. 
The  Court  will  sit  without  reference  to  hours. 


Corinth.  157 

DETAIL  FOR  THE  COURT. 

Major-General  Sterling-  Price,  P.  A.  C.  S. 
Brigadier-General  Lloyd  Tilghman,  P.  A.  C.  S. 
Brigadier-General  Dabney  H.  Maury,  P.  A.  C.  S. 
Captain  L.  B.  Harris,  38th  Miss.  Reg.,  is  appointed  Recorder 
of  Court. 

By  order  of  Lieutenant-General  Pemberton, 
R.  W.  MEM  MINCER,  A.  A.  G. 


HEADQUARTERS,  DEPARTMENT  OF  MISSISSIPPI  &  EAST  LOUISIANA, 

Jackson,  Miss.,  Nov.  nth,  1862. 

[EXTRACT.] 

Special  Orders,  No.  25.] 

VII.  Captain  Harris  detailed  as  Recorder  of  Court  of  Inquiry, 
by  virtue  of  Special  Orders  No.  24,  paragraph  XIV,  current 
series,  is  hereby  relieved  from  duty  as  member  of  the  Court,  and 
Capt.  E.  H.  Cummins,  A.  A.  G.,  is  substituted  in  his  stead. 

By  order,  Lt.-Gen.  Pemberton, 
(Signed,)  R.  W.  MEMMINGER,  A.  A.  G. 

HEADQUARTERS,  ARMY  OF  THE  WEST, 
Abbeville,  Miss.,  Saturday,  Nov.  I5th,  1862 — 10  o'clock,  A.  M. 

Court  met  pursuant  to  the  above  order. 

Present. — Maj.-Gen.  Sterling  Price  commanding  Army  of  the 
West,  Brig.-Gen.  Lloyd  Tilghman,  commanding  ist  Division, 
Lovell's  Corps,  Brig.-Gen.  Dabney  H.  Maury,  commanding  ist 
Division,  Army  of  the  West,  Capt.  E.  H.  Cummins,  Asst.  Insp.- 
General,  Recorder. 

Major-General  Earl  Van  Dorn  was  also  present. 

The  Recorder  read  the  order  convening  the  Court. 

The  Court  was  then  duly  sworn  by  the  Recorder,  and  the  Re- 
corder was  duly  sworn  by  the  Presiding  Officer  of  the  Court. 

Gen.  Van  Dorn  then  addressed  the  Court  as  follows : — 

Gentlemen  of  the  Court: — Before  you  proceed  to  the  inves- 
tigation of  the  charges  preferred  against  me  by  Brig.-Gen.  Bowen, 


158  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

I  desire  to  call  your  attention  to  these  facts — that  I  have  been  a 
soldier  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century — that  this  is  the  first  time 
I  have  been  called  upon  to  defend  myself,  against  allegations  of 
any  kind  ;  though  my  career  has  been  an  eventful  one — that  I  have 
accumulated  nothing  of  the  world's  wealth — having  devoted  my 
whole  time  and  energies  to  the  service  of  my  country;  and  that 
therefore  my  reputation  is  all  that  belongs  to  me,  without  which 
life  to  me  were  as  valueless  as  the  crisp  and  faded  leaf  of  autumn. 

As  a  personal  favor  to  me,  I  ask  that  the  investigation  on  which 
you  are  about  to  enter  shall  be  thorough  and  complete.  I  invoke 
the  fullest  scrutiny,  on  your  part,  into  my  conduct,  as  the  only 
adequate  means  of  securing  my  exoneration  from  charges  which 
nearly  touch  a  soldier's  reputation. 

I  am  not  guilty  of  one  of  them.     I  ask  no  sympathy,  but  I  do 
ask  at  your  hands  a  patient,  full,  and  searching  investigation. 
(Signed)  EARL  VAN  DORN, 

Major-General. 

Major  Wright  was  then  introduced  by  Gen.  Van  Dora  as  his 
adviser. 


Witnesses'. — Maj.-Gen.  STERLING  PRICE. 

Brig.-Gen.  JNO.  B.  VILLEPIGUE. 

"    RUST. 

"    JNO.  S.  BOWEN. 

"    D.  H.  MAURY. 

"    M.  E.  GREEN. 
Col.  ROBERTSON,  35th  Ala. 
Col.  LOWRY,  6th  Miss. 
Lt.-Col:  H.  CLAY  TAYLOR,  Price's  Staff. 
Capt.  L.  H.  KENNEDY,  ist  Mo. 
Lt.  L.  P.  HUTCHINSON,  ist  Mo. 
And  Citizens  of  Water  Valley,  names  unknown. 

The  charges  were  read  aloud  by  the  Recorder  of  the  Court. 

General  Bowen  was  requested  to  indicate  the  special  points 
upon  which  he  desired  to  examine  each  witness,  and  declined  for 
the  following  reasons: 

"  I  respectfully  ask  the  Court  will  excuse  me  from  being 
present,  or  assisting  in  conducting  the  examination,  as  I  deem 


Corinth.  159 

it  clearly  the  duty  of  the  Recorder,  or  Judge  Advocate,  to  have 
entire  charge  of  the  prosecution.  If  I  can  aid  him  in  curtailing 
the  proceedings  by  stating  what  the  several  witnesses  are  sup- 
posed to  be  able  to  testify  to,  and  the  Court  desire  it,  I  can  either 
imp  irt  the  information  while  under  examination,  or  in  conference 
with  the  Recorder ;  but  to  act  as  an  assistant  to  him,  during  the 
proceedings,  would  be  exceedingly  unpleasant,  and  I  trust  they 
will  consider  it  unnecessary. 

"  JOHN  S.  BOWEN." 

CHARGE  FIRST — NEGLECT  OF  DUTY. 

Specification  1st. — In  this,  that  Maj.-Gen.  Earl  Van  Dorn,  com- 
manding the  troops  of  the  Confederate  States,  Provisional  Army, 
in  the  District  of  Mississippi,  and  East  Louisiana,  including  the 
force  known  as  the  Army  of  the  West,  did  concentrate  the  greater 
portion  of  said  force,  and  undertake  an  important  expedition 
against  the  enemy  at  Corinth,  Miss.,  where  they,  the  enemy,  were 
strongly  fortified  and  in  formidable  numbers,  fully  prepared  for  a 
stubborn  resistance,  without  due  consideration  or  forethought; 
and  did  utterly  fail  and  neglect  to  discharge  his  duties  as  a  Gen- 
eral commanding  an  Army,  in  the  following  particulars,  viz. : 

ist.  By  failing  to  provide  himself  wih  a  proper  map  of  the  ap- 
proaches and  plan  of  the  work  to  be  attacked. 

2d.  By  eschewing  entirely  the  services  of  an  Engineer  officer 
and  failing  to  reconnoiter  the  position  before  the  attack. 

3d.  By  marching  his  troops  to  the  attack  with  an  insufficient 
supply  of  Commissary  stores  to  maintain  them,  depending  entirely 
upon  captures  from  the  enemy  to  enable  the  occupation  of  the 
place,  if  taken. 

4th.  By  marching  the  troops  in  a  hastily  and  disorderly  manner, 
hurling  them  upon  the  enemy  with  an  apparent  attempt  to  take 
a  command  by  surprise,  whose  "  outposts  had  been  engaged  with 
his  (Gen.  Van  Dorn's)  advance  for  thirty-six  hours  before 
attack."  All  this  at  or  near  the  towns  of  Ripley  and,  Corinth, 
Miss.,  on  or  about  the  ist  to  the  3d  of  October,  A.  D.  1862. 

Specification  2d. — In  this,  that  Maj.-Gen.  Earl  Van  Dorn, 
after  the  troops  of  his  command  had  driven  the  enemy  from  their 
exterior  line  of  intrenchments  at  Corinth,  Miss.,  October  3d, 
1862,  did  fail  and  neglect  to  perform  his  duty  as  a  General  com- 


160  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

manding  an  Army,  by  delaying  the  attack  upon  their  inner  works 
until  the  next  morning,  thereby  affording  them  ample  time  to  re- 
ceive reinforcements, — of  which  advantage  they  fully  availed 
themselves. 

Specification  $d. — In  this,  that  Maj.-Gen.  Earl  Van  Dorn 
did  fail  and  neglect,  as  a  General  commanding,  by  suffering  the 
enemy  to  receive  large  reinforcements  on  the  nights  of  October 
the  3d  and  4th,  at  Corinth,  Miss.,  without  his  knowledge,  when 
he,  the  aforesaid  Gen.  Van  Dorn,  was  present  inside  of  their 
works,  with  a  victorious  army,  and  in  hearing  of  the  noise  made 
by  their  wagons  and  artillery  carriages ;  and  did  further  neglect 
to  ascertain  the  strength  and  location  of  the  enemy,  and  their  in- 
trenchments,  which  he  ordered  to  be  taken  by  assault  in  the 
morning. 

CHARGE  SECOND CRUEL  AND  IMPROPER  TREATMENT  OF  OFFICERS 

AND  SOLDIERS  UNDER   HIS  COMMAND. 

Specification  ist. — In  this,  that  Maj.-Gen.  Earl  Van  Dorn.  com- 
manding the  aforesaid  Army  in  the  expedition  against  Corinth, 
and  on  his  retreat  from  the  same,  did  cause  long,  tedious  and  cir- 
cuitous marches  to  be  made,  and  either  through  ignorance  of  the 
route,  or  neglect,  repeatedly  march  and  countermarch  over  the 
same  road,  and  did  have  a  large  command  moving  to  and  fro, 
without  any  apparent  reason,  while  the  men  were  footsore, 
wearied  and  starving.  This  on  the  retreat  between  Corinth  and 
Holly  Springs,  Miss.,  on  or  about  October  6th,  /th  and  8th,  1862. 

Specification  2d. — In  this,  that  Maj.-Gen.  Earl  Van  Dorn,  com- 
manding, as  aforesaid,  did  allow  one  or  more  trains  of  cars 
freighted  with  wounded  soldiers  from  the  battle-field,  at  and 
near  Corinth,  Miss.,  to  be  detained  without  any  necessity,  at 
Water  Valley,  Miss.,  during  one  or  more  entire  nights — said 
wounded  soldiers  having  been  herded  in  said  cars  at  Holly 
Springs,  without  blankets  or  nourishment;  and  many  with  un- 
dressed wounds.  No  surgeon,  officer,  nurse  or  attendant  with 
them,  thus  causing  an  incredible  amount  of  useless  suffering,  and 
creating  disaffection  among  the  troops. 

Respectfully  submitted, 
(Signed)  JNO.  S.  BOWEN, 

Brig.-Gen.  C.  S.  P.  A. 


Corinth.  161 

Brig. -Gen.  ALBERT  RUST  was  duly  sworn: 

Question  by  Recorder. — State  all  that  you  know  bearing  on  the 
first  specification  of  the  first  charge. 

Answer. — I  do  not  know  whether  Gen.  Van  Dorn  was  or  was 
not  provided  with  a  map  or  chart.  None  was  exhibited  to  me. 
I  do  not  know  that  Gen.  Van  Dorn  marched  without  availing 
himself  of  the  services  of  an  Engineer  and  without  making  proper 
reconnaisance.  Gen.  Van  Dorn  told  me  subsequent  to  the  repulse 
that  he  had  sent  a  person  inside  of  the  works  of  the  enemy ;  but 
that  the  information  received  from  that  source  was  insufficient,  or 
unsatisfactory — that  the  person  had  not  performed  his  duty  satis- 
factorily, and  had  not  given  the  requisite  and  correct  information. 
My  impression  received  from  the  conversation  with  Gen.  Van 
Dorn  was  that  he  found  this  information  to  be  incorrect  after 
making  the  attack.  I  started  with  a  sufficient  supply  of  Com- 
missary stores,  in  case  the  attack  had  been  successful — all  that 
prudence  required.  I  had  provisions  when  I  returned  to  Holly 
Springs,  remaining  of  those  supplied  for  the  expedition.  I  turned 
over  four  thousand  rations  of  bread  stuffs,  by  order  of  Gen. 
Lovell,  to  Gen.  Price  at  the  Hatchie,  on  the  way  to  Corinth.  On 
account  of  the  impossibility  of  cooking  three  days'  rations  as  or- 
dered, in  consequence  of  being  detained  until  midnight,  by  troops 
in  advance  of  me,  which  I  was  ordered  to  follow,  my  troops  would 
have  suffered,  on  the  night  of  the  2d,  had  I  not  been  able  to 
supply  myself  on  the  spot,  from  a  man  living  in  the  neighborhood. 
This  was  eight  miles  this  side  of  Corinth. 

I  do  not  know  how  other  troops  marched — mine  marched  in 
perfect  order,  and  in  no  haste — more  haste  would  have  been  more 
agreeable  and  less  fatiguing  to  the  troops. 

I  don't  know  whether  Gen.  Van  Dorn  expected  to  surprise  them 
or  not.  I  did  not,  from  the  fact  of  the  skirmishing  which  had 
taken  place  the  day  before. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Are  you  aware  of  any  want  of  con- 
sideration and  forethought,  and  failure,  and  neglect  to  perform  his 
duty  as  commanding  General  in  any  of  the  particulars  specified  in 
specification  first? 

Answer. — The  attack  having  been  determined  upon,  I  do  not 
— except  I  thought  I  ought  to  have  had  rations  on  the  occasion 
previously  referred  to,  as  my  troops  would  have  had  nothing,  had 
I  not  been  able  to  purchase  provisions ;  which  was  an  accident. 
ii 


162  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Do  you  think  there  was  a  want  of  fore- 
sight, or  due  consideration,  in  making  the  attack  ? 

Answer. — I  learned  on  the  2d,  'at  <the  Tuscumbia  bridge,  while 
halting  for  the  repair  of  the  bridge,  from  Gen.  Lovell  for  the  first 
time,  that  it  was  designed  to  make  the  attack.  I  expressed 
myself  strongly  against  it.  I  declared  it  was  impossible  to 
succeed  in  the  attack.  Gen.  Lovell  said  if  we  could  not  succeed 
we  had  better  lay  down  our  arms  and  go  home.  I  adhered  to  my 
opinion.  I  did  not  communicate  my  opinion,  except  to  Col. 
Hobson,  of  Gen.  Price's  command,  to  whom  I  characterized  the 
attempt  as  madness.  No  person  of  my  command  knew  or  sus- 
pected my  opinion.  I  heard  Gen.  Van  Dorn  at  Davis'  Mills, 
speak  of  maneuvering  the  enemy  out  of  Corinth,  and  that  I  sup- 
posed to  be  his  purpose. 

Question  by  Recorder. — State  what  you  know  of  the  facts 
bearing  on  the  second  specification? 

Answer. — If  there  were  no  insurmountable  impediments,  I 
think  without  doubt,  it  would  have  been  better  to  have  continued 
the  attack  the  same  evening,  considering  the  facilities  the  enemy 
had  of  receiving  reinforcements,  and  their  proximity  to  them. 
There  was  some  difficulty  in  my  own  command  in  regard  to  am- 
munition, but  considerably  before  night  our  cartridge  boxes  were 
replenished,  and  we  could  have  advanced.  I  do  not  know  whether 
the  enemy  availed  themselves  of  the  opportunity  of  reinforcing,  or 
not ;  I  presume  they  did. 

Question  by  Recorder. — State  what  you  know  of  the  facts 
bearing  on  the  third  specification? 

Answer. — I  do  not  know  what  Gen.  Van  Dorn  knew  in  regard 
to  the  enemy's  receiving  reinforcements — never  having  heard  him 
say.  He  may,  or  may  not  have  been  in  hearing  of  the  noise  of 
their  wagons  and  artillery  carriages.  I  was  not,  though  within 
the  intrenchments.  I  was  furnished  with  no  plan  or  chart  of  the 
defenses  the  enemy  had  constructed,  and  was  not  informed  orally 
of  their  position  and  character. 

Question  by  Recorder. — State  what  you  know  of  the  facts 
bearing  on  the  first  specification,  second  charge? 

Answer. — I  do  not  recollect  a  single  occasion  on  which  the 
command  was  countermarched  or  passed  to  and  fro  over  the  same 
road,  on  the  return  from  Corinth  to  Holly  Springs.  The  enemy 
having  thrown  himself  across  the  direct  route,  at  the  Hatchie,  and 


Corinth.  163 

having  successfully  disputed  our  passage  at  that  point,  a  portion 
of  the  command  necessarily  countermarched  a  short  distance  to 
the  Bone  Yard  road,  by  way  of  which  the  whole  command  crossed 
the  Hatchie,  at  a  point  some  six  or  eight  miles  above  that  occupied 
by  the  enemy.  Having  failed  to  drive  the  enemy  from  his  posi- 
tion on  the  direct  route,  the  one  taken  to  Holly  Springs  was  neces- 
sarily circuitous.  It  may  have  been  made  more  so  after  getting 
to  Ripley,  from  the  fact  that  the  enemy  were  expected,  and  be- 
lieved, to  be  threatening  our  rear  and  both  flanks.  A  large  por- 
tion of  the  army  was  supposed  not  to  be  in  a  condition  to  make 
a  fight. 

Question  by  Recorder. — State  what  you  know  in  relation  to  the 
men  being  footsore,  wearied  and  starving. 

Answer. — I  suspect  they  were  all  very  tired,  and  some  of  them 
footsore ;  I  do  not  think  any  of  them  were  starving.  My  troops 
were  put  to  some  inconvenience,  as  before  stated,  by  the  mis- 
carriage of  the  wagons  and  the  absence  of  cooking  utensils ;  having 
nothing  to  cook  in,  we  bought  potatoes  and  roasted  them,  i 
did  not  consider  it  a  hard .  retreat.  I  heard  no  extraordinary 
complaint.  I  suffered  much  more  with  my  command  in  Virginia, 
when  there  was  less  excuse  for  it. 

Question  by  Recorder. — State  all  you  know  relative  to  the 
second  specification. 

Answer. — I  reached  Holly  Springs  on  the  night  of  the  loth. 
I  was  notified  I  could  get  subsistence  from  the  Post  Commissary. 
A  large  portion  of  the  few  cooking  utensils  with  which  the  com- 
mand was  provided  being  left  yet  behind,  I  intended  myself  to 
have  the  rations  cooked  by  the  citizens,  and  ordered  details  from 
each  regiment  to  go  to  the  houses  of  citizens,  who  had  agreed  to 
cook  for  them,  and  ordered  my  Brigade  Commissary,  Maj.  Mar- 
shall, to  hurry  the  issuing  of  the  rations.  It  was  a  wet  and  cold 
evenin<r.  He  (Marshall)  in  a  little  while  reported  to  me  that  the 
men  were  not  suffering  much,  and  preferred  not  to  draw  the  ra- 
tions that  evening,  and  'accordingly  it  was  not  done.  They  have 
not  been  without  rations  from  that  time  to  this  so  far  as  I  know, 
and  I  try  to  keep  myself  advised  of  thleir  condition  in  that  respect. 

Question  by  Recorder. — State  what  you  know  relative  to  the 
third  specification,  second  charge. 

Answer. — I  know  nothing  at  all  about  that. 


164  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

CROSS  EXAMINATION. 

Question  by  Defendant. — In  the  skirmishing  the  day  before  the 
attack  in  Corinth,  was  our  infantry  engaged  with  the  enemy's 
pickets  ? 

Answer. — When  near  Chewalla,  and  as  I  afterwards  ascer- 
tained, to  a  small  encampment  of  the  enemy  and  some  trivial  de- 
fenses to  the  left  of  the  road,  his  presence  was  announced,  and  I 
was  ordered  to  form  my  brigade,  it  being  in  front  in  line  of  battle, 
and  to  throw  out  skirmishers,  which  I  did  as  speedily  as  possible. 
While  putting  my  skirmishers  in  position  a  few  shots  were  fired 
from  the  front,  to  which  my  men  were  not  permitted  to  respond. 
Having  formed  my  men  I  advanced  rapidly,  passing  through  and 
over  their  camp  and  breastworks  without  encountering  or  seeing 
any  of  them.  The  cavalry  was  in  front,  and  I  am  not  aware  that 
the  enemy  saw  our  infantry.  There  was  a  ridge  between  where  I 
formed  my  men  and  the  encampment  of  the  enemy, — making  one 
invisible  to  the  other. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Where  did  your  command  encamp 
that  night?  did  you  advance  beyond  Chewalla? 

Answer. — I  encamped  on  the  road  to  the  right,  and  a  little  in 
advance  of  Chewalla,  my  left  resting  on  the  road  and  extending  at 
right  angles  to  it  in  line  of  battle  through  the  woods. 

Question  by  Defendant. — At  what  time  did  our  infantry  engage 
the  enemy  ?  id  est,  What  day  and  how  far  from  Corinth  ? 

Answer. — My  brigade  engaged  it  in  the  morning  of  the  3d, 
about  ii  o'clock,  about  2  miles  from  Corinth.  I  do  not  think 
there  had  been  any  engagement  of  the  infantry  until  then. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Did  you  have  an  independent  com- 
mand, or  were  you  acting  under  the  orders  of  Maj.-Gen.  Lovell? 

Answer. — I  was  acting  under  orders  of  Maj.-Gen.  Lovell. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  know  whether  Maj.-Gen. 
Lovell  received  from  Maj.-Gen.  Van  Dorn  at  Chewalla,  on  our 
advance,  a  map  of  Corinth,  its  defenses,  and  approaches  ? 

Answer. — I  do  not.  I  think  I  saw  a  map  in  his  hand;  I  am 
pretty  sure  I  did.  I  don't  know  where  he  got  it. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  know  whether  Gen.  Van 
Dorn,  before  he  left  Ripley,  after  the  junction  with  Gen.  Price, 
had  in  his  possession  a  Federal  map  of  Corinth  and  its  approaches, 
taken  from  the  enemy  at  luka? 


Corinth.  165 

Answer. — No.     I  do  not  know  it. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  know  whether  in  advancing 
upon  Corinth  and  retreating  from  that  place,  Gen.  Van  Dorn  had 
competent  guides  with  him? 

Answer. — I  do  not  know. 

Question  by  Defendant. — When  did  the  engagement  with  the 
enemy  cease  on  the  first  day  of  the  attack  at  Corinth  ? 

Answer. — The  firing  continued  until  late  in  the  evening,  nearly 
night ;  the  firing  continued  on  the  left  long  after  it  ceased  on  the 
right. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  know  what  was  the  condition 
of  the  men  at  that  /time,  from  thirst  and  fatigue,  and  the  march  of 
the  day? 

Answer. — I  can't  tell.  I  saw  none  of  Gen.  Price's  command. 
On  the  right  the  men  were  in  first-rate  fighting  condition.  From 
time  to  time  mounted  men  were  sent  with  their  canteens  for  water, 
and  they  had  not  been  engaged  on  the  right  as  they  had  been  on 
the  left.  Our  engagement  had  been  brief  comparatively. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  think  it  would  have  been  ad- 
visable to  commence  an  attack  on  the  town  of  Corinth  and  inner 
intrenchments  after  dark? 

Answer. — The  moon  was  very  bright,  and  if  the  men  on  the  left 
were  as  anxious  to  attack  as  those  on  the  right,  I  would  have 
attacked  that  night  before  the  enemy  could  have  received  reinforce- 
ments. I  think  the  enemy  were  whipped  that  night,  all  who  were 
there — and  I  would  have  attacked  with  more  hope  of  success,  be- 
fore the  enemy  had  received  reinforcements,  than  after  they  were 
there. 

Question  by  Defendant. — At  Tuscumbia  bridge  you  thought  the 
attack  on  Corinth  must  necessarily  be  unsuccessful.  Did  you  not 
change  your  opinion  at  the  end  of  the  first  day's  fight? 

Answer. — I  still  had  misgivings,  doubts,  and  fears;  my  opinion 
was  changed.  We  had  come  much  nearer  achieving  success  than 
I  had  hoped  for.  My  opinion  was  changed  because  I  had  stated 
to  Gen.  Lovell  that  I  believed  it  impossible  to  take  it.  I  had  in 
my  conversation  with  Col.  Hobson,  characterized  the  attempt  as 
madness.  I  believed  at  the  end  of  the  first  day's  fight  that  the 
place  was  nearly  taken. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  know  of  any  obstacle  between 


166  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

the  position  you  occupied  on  the  night  of  the  3d,  and  the  town 
and  innermost  intrencbments  of  Corinth? 

Answer. — On  the  morning  of  the  4th,  after  marching  a  mile  or 
so,  we  came  to  two  forts  and  parapets  which  I  supposed  were  the 
last  between  us  and  the  town ;  in  front  of  this  were  abatis,  about 
two  hundred  yards  wide — it  was  thin  and  not  much  obstruction — 
not  more  formidable  than  that  we  had  passed  over  the  day  before. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  think  it  would  have  been  prac- 
ticable, from  the  position  our  army  was  in  on  the  night  of  the 
3d,  to  have  prevented  large  reinforcements  from  coming  into 
Corinth,  from  the  east  or  southeast? 

Answer. — Only  by  driving  the  enemy  then  in  Corinth  out  of  the 
place,  and  occupying  it  ourselves. 

Question  by  Defendant. — What  has  been  your  experience,  or 
reading,  in  regard  to  attacks  made  at  night,  with  troops  not  veteran 
soldiers  ? 

Answer. — Extremely  hazardous  and  only  advisable  under  extra- 
ordinary circumstances,  which  I  think  existed  on  this  occasion,  as 
I  stated  before. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Will  you  state  in  brief,  why  at  Tus- 
cumbia,  you  thought  the  attack  on  Corinth  must  necessarily  fail  ? 

Answer. — In  the  first  place  I  believed  the  enemy  had  or  could 
have  more  men  there  than  we  could  assault  with,  such  were  their 
facilities  for  concentrating,  and  I  knew  that  the  defenses  con- 
structed by  Gen.  Beaureg^ard  were  somewhat  formidable,  and  had 
intelligence  which  I  credited  that  they  were  very  much  strength- 
ened by  the  enemy. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Were  you  cognizant  of  the  strength 
of  the  enemy  ?  Did  you  know  befof e  you  went  to  Corinth  whether 
the  enemy  had  twenty  or  forty  thousand  men  ?  If  so,  in  what  way 
did  you  get  the  information  ? 

Answer. — Gen.  Lovell  told  me  they  only  had  twelve  thousand ; 
attaching  no  importance  to  this,  and  giving  the  enemy  character 
for  ordinary  prudence  and  sagacity,  I  could  not  believe  that  they 
would  attempt  to  hold  Corinth,  Bolivar,  Jackson  and  Rienzi,  and 
perhaps  other  places  with  forces  which  aggregated,  would  not  be 
twice  or  thrice  as  large  as  our  own,  particularly  as  they  seemed  to 
give  us  credit  for  having  a  great  many  more  men  than  we  really 
had,  and  I  thought  it  practicable  to  mass  a  majority  of  these  troops 
at  any  one  of  these  points  within  36  hours.  I  had  no  positive  in- 


Corinth.  ^7 

formation  of  the  facts.     These  were  only  opinions,  and  reasons 
which  influenced  my  mind  in  coming  to  these  conclusions. 

Question  by  Defendant. — You  say  you  were  ignorant  at  the 
Tuscumbia,  that  our  army  was  marching  on  Corinth.  Had  the 
enemy  better  means  of  information  as  to  the  design  of  Gen.  Van 
Dora,  as  to  the  point  he  would  attack  ?  Whether  it  would  be  Boli- 
var or  Corinth? 

Answer. — I  have  no  means  of  knowing  what  the  sources  of  the 
enemy's  information  are,  with  regard  to  Gen.  Van  Dorn's  move- 
ment, or  the  movements  of  his  army. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Did  you  suppose  we  were  marching 
to  attack  the  enemy  at  any  point;  if  so,  what? 

Answer. — I  did  not.  I  recollected  the  remark  that  Gen.  Van 
Dorn  made  about  maneuvering  the  enemy  out  of  his  fortifications, 
and  supposed  that  this  might  be  his  object.  I  contented  myself 
with  executing  orders  as  well  as  I  could. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Had  you  any  idea  of  what  that  ma- 
neuvering must  be,  to  have  the  effect  of  getting  the  enemy  out  of 
Corinth  ? 

Answer. — No.  My  own  idea  was  that  the  enemy  might  be 
maneuvered  out  by  getting  in  his  rear,  by  cutting  off  his  supplies, 
or  threatening  to  do  so,  or  occupying  his  own  base. 

Question  by  Defendant. — (ist.)  When  did  you  arrive  at  the 
camp  on  the  Hatchie?  (2d.)  When  did  you  get  orders  to  cook 
three  days  rations?  (2d.)  When  did  you  turn  over  ratione  to 
Gen.  Price's  command?  (4th.)  Would  it  have  been  possible  to 
cook  any  rations  during  the  night? 

Answer. — (ist. )  My  command  arrived  there  very  late  at  night 
The  place  at  which  I  was  ordered  to  camp  was  a  mile  or  two  to  the 
right  of  Bowen,  in  the  bottom  or  swamp.  The  forest  and  foliage 
were  so  very  dense  that  the  darkness  made  it  impossible  to  get  the 
train  straightened  out  and  in  place. 

(2d.)   I  suppose  about  4  or  5  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 

(3d.)  I  left  them  in  the  swamp  and  woods  at  this  place  which 
I  described,  having  been  ordered  to  leave  them  where  I  camped, 
and  notified  Gen.  Maury  that  I  had  left  them,  and  where  he  would 
find  them. 

(4th.)  It  was  possible.  I  did  cook  one  day's  rations  for  my 
command.  It  was  impossible  on  account  of  the  inadequate  supply 
of  cooking  utensils  in  the  command  to  cook  the  three  day's  rations 


1 68  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

by  the  time  we  were  ordered  to  march  in  the  morning.  The  best 
officers  commanding  regiments  declared  it  was  utterly  impossible, 
and  I  agreed  with  them.  That  night  the  men  were  much  fatigued. 
On  the  day  previous  being  encamped  north  of  Ripley  four  miles, 
I  was  ordered  to  have  my  command  at  the  road  from  Ripley  to 
Ruckerville  at  8  o'clock,  and  to  fall  in  the  rear  of  Gen.  Hebert's 
command.  I  did  so,  but  was  detained  there  until  nearly  5  o'clock 
by  the  troops  in  front  of  me.  I  received  an  order  that  night,  if  I 
had  not  passed  Gen.  Hebert  to  camp  with  him  or  at  the  same  place. 
On  reaching  his  headquarters  he  informed  me  that  there  was  not 
nearly  enough  water  there  for  his  own  command.  I  procured  a 
guide,  who  took  me  through  the  fields  and  woods  a  mile  and  a 
half  or  two  miles  to  a  branch  which  supplied  me  with  water.  It 
was  very  late  before  my  men  could  rest  or  sleep.  For  the  same 
reasons  the  same  thing  happened  the  next  day,  and  hence  it  was 
that  my  men  were  tired  when  they  got  to  the  Hatchie. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  know  whether  or  not  the  mis- 
carriage of  the  wagons,  on  our  return  to  Holly  Springs,  was  a 
fault  of  General  Van  Dorn  ?  Or  if  they  were  not  immediately  or- 
dered on  the  right  road  as  soon  as  the  fact  was  reported  to  him  ? 

Answer. — I  presume  they  were.  I  do  not  know  that  it  was  his 
fault.  The  fault  may  have  been  with  those  under  him.  I  don't 
know  whose  fault  it  was. 

Question  by  the  Court. — If  there  had  been  neglect  of  the 
wounded  would  you  not  have  known  it  ? 

Answer. — In  my  command,  yes. 

Question  by  the  Court. — Since  the  result  at  Corinth,  have  you 
a  clearly  defined  idea  of  the  enemy's  force  during  the  fight  ? 

Answer. — I  have  ideas  and  opinions,  but  no  knowledge. 

Brig.-Gen.  JOHN  S.  BOWEN,  being  duly  sworn,  says : 
Question  by  Recorder. — State  all  the  circumstances  in  your 
knowledge  bearing  on  the  ist  specification  of  the  ist  charge. 

Answer. — I  was  present  with  the  Army  of  the  West,  and  the 
troops  of  the  District  of  the  Mississippi,  in  command  of  a  Brigade 
of  Lovell's  Division,  when  they  formed  a  junction  at  or  near  Rip- 
ley,  Mississippi ;  from  which  point  the  combined  army  marched  on 
Corinth.  ^1  knew  nothing  of  the  intended  attack  upon  Corinth 
until  our  arrival  at  Davis'  Bridge,  on  the  Hatchie  River.  I  was 
officially  notified  of  it  there  by  Major-General  Lovell,  and  went  a 


Corinth.  169 

short  time  afterwards  with  him  to  Mr.  Davis'  house,  where  we 
met  General  Van  Dorn.  General  Van  Dorn  was  employed,  at 
this  time,  making  a  sketch  himself,  of  the  country  lying  between 
Davis'  Bridge  and  Corinth.  He  was  consulting  with  a  citizen 
guide  in  regard  to  the  roads.  General  Lovell  ordered  me,  in  Gen- 
eral Van  Dorn's  presence,  to  repair  the  bridge  at  the  crossing  of 
the  Tuscumbia  River,  and  I  was  shown  the  map  that  General  Van 
Dorn  was  working  upon,  in  order  to  explain  to  me  the  roads  lead- 
ing to  the  Tuscumbia.  The  map  was  a  crude  sketch,  on  a  sheet 
of  letter  paper,  drawn  to  no  particular  scale,  and  such  as  I  deemed 
utterly  unsuitable  for  the  ordinary  movements  of  an  army,  and  so 
expressed  myself  to  General  Lovell  on  leaving  the  office,  asking 
if  there  was  any  other  information,  than  this  map,  on  this  sub- 
ject of  our  advance.  The  party  sent  to  the  Tuscumbia  bridge  to 
repair  it  met  a  picket  of  the  enemy  at  that  point,  five  miles  from 
our  camp,  where  we  had  been  lying  for  eight  hours,  and  on  a  road 
where  we  had  no  picket  or  scout.  A  slight  skirmish,  in  which 
three  of  the  enemy  were  reported  wounded,  preceded  the  rebuild- 
ing of  the  bridge.  When  I  was  officially  notified  that  the  enemy 
were  driven  back,  and  the  bridge  commenced,  I  repaired  imme- 
diately to  General  Lovell's  headquarters,  and  from  thence  to  Gen- 
eral Van  Dorn's,  taking  with  me  the  written  reports  of  Colonel 
Riley,  who  was  commanding  at  Tuscumbia  Bridge.  In  a  conver- 
sation with  Generals  Van  Dorn  and  Lovell,  on  the  subject  of  those 
bridges,  General  Lovell  guaranteed  that  the  bridge  over  the 
Hatchie  would  be  rebuilt  by  the  morning,  and  I  expressed  equal 
confidence  that  Colonel  Riley's  work  would  be  finished  by  the 
same  time.  General  Van  Dorn  then  inquired  of  one  of  his  staff 
officers  concerning  another  bridge  over  the  Hatchie,  which  was 
under  charge  of  some  engineer  officer  for  construction.  His  staff 
officer  said  there  was  difficulty  about  procuring  tools,  and  General 
Van  Dorn  expressed  himself  very  hastily  in  regard  to  the  worth- 
lessness  of  engineer  officers,  and  stating  that  he  should  rely  upon 
them  for  nothing  more.  He  also  expressed  satisfaction  that  the 
bridges  were  finished,  and  we  could  cross  both  rivers  without  their 
assistance.  The  march  on  Corinth  was  taken  up  early  next  morn- 
ing, General  Lovell's  Division  having  first  turned  over,  by  order 
of  General  Van  Dorn,  twelve  thousand  of  their  rations,  to  General 
Price's  army,  leaving  an  insufficient  supply  in  General  Lovell's 
Division  to  subsist  them  for  five  days.  I  don't  know  the  amount 


170  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

of  subsistence  which  was  on  hand  in  General  Price's  army.  I 
asked  General  Lovell  to  remonstrate  against  the  march  until  ra- 
tions could  come  up.  The  troops  continued  their  march  from 
Davis'  Bridge,  through  Chewalla  to  Corinth.  Lovell's  Division 
was  constantly  driving  before  them  pickets  and  outposts  of  the 
enemy.  The  march,  though  not  long,  was  nevertheless  tedious 
to  the  troops,  from  the  fact  that  they  were  continually  being  de- 
ployed in  line  of  battle.  There  was  scarcely  time  allowed  them,  in 
camp,  to  prepare  rations,  and  in  Lovell's  Division  the  attack  was 
made  on  the  morning  of  the  3d,  when  the  men  had  not  more  than 
one  half  day's  rations  in  their  haversacks,  and  their  supply  train 
too  far  in  the  rear  to  reach  them  in  time  to  prepare  more. 

Question  by  Recorder. — State  all  that  you  know  relative  to  the 
second  specification  of  the  first  charge. 

Answer. — The  outworks  were  carried  at  Corinth  by  assault,  in 
front  of  Lovell's  Division,  between  twelve  and  two  o'clock.  The 
Division  was  then  formed  in  line,  awaiting  orders.  The  dead  of 
my  Brigade  were  collected  and  buried.  The  wounded  were  car- 
ried beyond  Cypress  Creek.  The  captured  muskets  and  other 
arms,  taken  across  Cypress  Creek.  The  piece  of  artillery  taken 
possession  of  was  fitted  up  for  action.  Oneregimentof  mybrigade 
occupied  a  camp  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile  inside  of  the 
enemy's  entrenchments.  I  applied  to  General  Lovell  to  move  on 
to  their  support  with  my  Brigade.  He  ordered  me  to  recall  one 
regiment  back  to  the  Brigade.  About  an  hour  afterwards  we 
made  a  circuitous  detour  to  the  right.  This  was  about  four 
o'clock,  and  waited  in  line  of  battle.  After  moving  about  one 
hour,  I  finally  communicated  with  General  Lovell,  and  ascertained 
that  he  was  convinced  that  three  redoubts,  and  a  line  of  encamp- 
ments in  their  rear,  had  been  abandoned  by  the  enemy  several 
hours  before.  We  moved  on  to  the  encampments,  arrived 
there  about  one  hour  and  a  half  before  sundown,  and  re- 
ceived orders  to  bivouac  for  the  night.  The  order  to  me 
was  given  about  sunset.  During  the  night,  I  could  hear,  from  a 
point  a  little  in  advance  of  my  bivouac,  rumblings  of  wagons  or 
artillery  carriages,  or  both.  It  was  surmised  by  most  of  us,  at 
that  part  of  the  line,  that  the  enemy  were  evacuating  the  town. 
In  the  morning  we  found  a  large  and  formidable  force  in  our 
front,  showing,  that  whether  they  had  had  an  accession  of  troops 
in  the  town,  or  not,  their  left  wing,  at  least,  had  been  materially 


Corinth.  171 

strengthened.  No  orders  were  given  to  me,  notifying  me,  or  the 
troops  of  Lovell's  Division,  of  these  reinforcements ;  no  prepara- 
tion seemed  to  have  been  made,  to  ascertain  their  character  or 
extent. 

Question  by  Recorder. — State  all  that  you  know  relative  to  the 
3d  specification  of  the  first  charge. 

Answer. — On  the  night  of  the  3d,  between  eleven  and  twelve 
o'clock,  General  Lovell  summoned  Generals  Villepigue,  Rust  and 
myself  to  his  headquarters  for  orders.  He  showed  us  a  crude 
sketch  of  the  works  supposed  to  be  in  front  of  us,  also  in  front 
of  General  Price's  wing.  He  could  not  tell  us  whether  the  enemy 
were  being  reinforced  or  not.  Major  M.  M.  Kimmel,  of  General 
Van  Dorn's  staff,  who  was  also  present,  expressed  his  ignorance 
of  the  same  fact  to  me.  The  works  that  were  indicated  for  us 
to  take  in  the  morning  were  alleged  to  be  one  or  two  redoubts, 
with  three  guns  each.  The  probabilities  were  expressed  as  being 
in  favor  of  there  being  but  one  of  these  works.  My  Brigade  was 
detailed  as  the  storming  party,  but  I  was  to  await  orders,  on  ar- 
riving in  sight  of  the  works,  before  attempting  to  take  it  by  storm. 
In  the  morning  we  arrived  in  line  of  battle,  I  on  the  right,  Ville- 
pigue on  the  left,  and  Rust  in  reserve.  Arriving  in  sight  of  a 
large  redoubt,  with  a  garrison  flag  flying,  I  halted  my  command, 
Villepigue  doing  the  same.  After  three  messages  to  General 
Lovell,  stating  our  position,  and  urging  his  presence,  I  determined 
to  ascertain  by  the  time  he  arrived  something  definite  in  regard  to 
the  work  in  front  of  us.  Satisfied  that  the  information  of  the 
night  before  was  not  correct,  I  ordered  up  the  Watson  battery  of 
my  Brigade,  and  opened  with  spherical  case  on  the  fort.  It  was 
responded  to  by  eight  or  ten  heavy  guns  from  the  front,  and  as 
many  from  either  flank  from  two  other  forts  which  I  had  not  be- 
fore seen.  I  should  think  there  were  about  twenty-four  pieces  of 
heavy  artillery  instead  of  three.  After  losing  about  fifty-five  men, 
killed  and  wounded,  in  the  Brigade  from  the  shells,  I  withdrew 
one  hundred  yards  in  the  rear  to  get  cover  for  the  men,  still  wait- 
ing for  General  Lovell.  The  enemy  became  emboldened  by  our 
apparent  apathy,  and  sallied  out  in  front  of  Villepigue's  Brigade, 
who  repulsed  them.  We  waited  at  this  point  until  about  twelve 
o'clock,  when  a  retreat  was  ordered,  and  I  deployed  one  of  my 
regiments  as  skirmishers  to  cover  Rust  and  myself,  Villepigue 
having  been  detached  and  sent  to  the  left.  General  Lovell  ar- 


172  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

rived  on  our  line  of  battle  between  ten  and  eleven  o'clock,  having 
been  immediately  in  the  rear  up  to  that  time.  He  gave  me  no 
order  to  advance,  but  one  of  his  staff  inquired  of  me  the  practica- 
bility of  taking  the  work  by  storm.  I  expressed  my  opinion  that 
the  opportunity  had  been  lost,  but  considered  it  a  questionable 
enterprise  under  any  circumstances.  He  then  asked  me,  suppose 
General  Lovell  orders  you  to  take  it.  I  replied  my  Brigade  will 
march  up  and  be  killed. 

Question  by  Recorder. — State  what  want  of  consideration  and 
forethought  was,  in  your  opinion,  displayed  in  the  attack  upon 
Corinth  beyond  the  particulars  in  the  specification  of  the  first 
charge. 

Answer. — I  will  state  that  I  was  in  command  of  Breckinridge's 
Division,  at  Jackson,  when  the  first  movement  north  was  spoken 
of  by  General  Van  Dorn.  I  was  called  in  by  him,  General  Van 
Dorn,  to  notify  me  of  a  contemplated  movement,  and  to  get  the 
Division  in  readiness.  During  the  conversation,  General  Lovell 
being  present  also,  I  endeavored  to  elicit  from  them  what  was  the 
point  to  be  attacked.  General  Van  Dorn  replied,  in  substance, 
that  he  intended  to  maneuver  the  enemy  out  of  Memphis,  Jackson, 
Bolivar  and  Corinth.  The  impression  produced  on  my  mind  by 
him  was  that  we  were  to  force  the  enemy  to  leave  these  entrench- 
ments and  fight  them  in  the  open  field.  Again,  after  we  had  moved 
up  in  the  vicinity  of  Davis'  Mill,  near  La  Grange,  on  the  Central 
railroad  the  enemy  having  moved  down  upon  us,  and  were  pur- 
sued back  towards  Bolivar  by  General  Lovell's  Division,  under 
command  of  General  Van  Dorn  in  person,  the  enemy  eluding  us 
and  escaping  into  Bolivar,  I  asked  General  Van  Dorn  if  he  in- 
tended to  attack  Bolivar.  He  replied  to  me  that  he  would  not  sac- 
rifice his  men  against  the  fortifications.  These  two  remarks  led 
me  to  the  conclusion  that  up  to  the  time  of  the  junction  with  Gen- 
eral Price,  no  attack  was  contemplated  against  Corinth. 

At  four  o'clock  and  thirty  minutes  P.  M.,  the  Court  adjourned  to 
meet  at  nine  o'clock  A.  M.,  on  the  i6th  inst. 

10  o'clock  A.  M.,  Sunday,  Nov.  v?th,  1862. 

The  Court  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 

Present — Maj-Gen.  Sterling  Price,  Brig.-Gen.  D.  H.  Maury, 
and  Capt.  E.  H.  Cummins,  Recorder. 

It  being  Sunday,  the  Court  adjourned  to  meet  at  nine  o'clock 
A,  M.,  on  Monday  the  i/th  instant. 


Corinth.  173 

10  o'clock  A.  M.,  Monday,  Nov.  ijth,  1862. 

The  Court  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 

Present — Ma j. -Gen.  Sterling  Price,  Brig.-Ben.  Lloyd  Tilgh- 
man,  Brig.-Gen.  D.  H.  Maury,  Capt.  E.  H.  Cummins,  "Recorder, 
Maj.-Gen.  Earl  Van  Dorn. 

Reading  the  proceedings  of  yesterday  was  waived  by  the  Court. 

General  Bowen  resumed  his  testimony. 

Question  by  Recorder. — State  all  the  facts  in  your  knowledge 
pertinent  to  the  first  specification  of  the  second  charge. 

Ansiuer. — The  retirement  from  Corinth  took  place  about  two 
o'clock,  on  the  4th,  General  Price  being  in  the  advance,  General 
Rust  covering  the  rear.  The  march  was  directed  to  Chewalla, 
the  enemy  not  pursuing  us  that  afternoon.  The  men  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  5th  were  in  excellent  condition,  my  Brigade,  especially, 
seeming  to  feel  complimented  that  they  were  detailed  as  the  rear 
guard.  There  was  no  demoralization  or  breakdown;  they  were 
entirely  recuperated.  The  march  of  the  5th  was  necessarily 
tedious — a  tedious  one  on  account  of  the  length  of  the  train,  and 
the  battle  which  was  fought  at  Hatchie,  impeding  our  entire  move- 
ment. The  enemy's  advance  overtook  the  rear  guard,  and  were 
repulsed  in  two  skirmishes.  The  second  skirmish,  about  sun- 
down, seemed  to  check  their  advance  and  stop  pursuit  for  the 
night.  The  march  of  the  6th  was  without  any  special  incident, 
except  that  we  had  orders  on  arriving  in  camp  that  we  would  re- 
main there  several  days.  This  camp  was  about  seven  miles  north 
of  Ripley,  the  object  being  to  afford  the  troops  rest  and  time  to  re- 
cuperate. The  morning  of  the  7th,  at  three  o'clock,  I  was  ordered 
out  with  my  Brigade,  and  marched  together  with  Rust  and  Ville- 
pigue  under  General  Lovell's  command,  about  three  miles  north 
of  our  camp.  At  this  point  General  Lovell  told  me  that  it  was  a 
•stampede,  and  turned  the  command  back. 

Question  by  the  Court. — What  was  the  impression  made  upon 
your  mind  by  the  remark  of  General  Lovell  ? 

Answer. — That  the  alarm  was  a  false  one — that  the  enemy  were 
not  advancing  on  our  position — that  the  movement  to  repel,  or 
check  them,  was  therefore  useless. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Continue  your  statement  in  reference  to 
the  first  specification  of  the  second  charge. 

Ansiver. — After  countermarching  we  moved  to  within  about 
four  miles  of  Ripley,  where  Lovell's  Division  was  drawn  up  in 


1 74  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

line  of  battle,  General  Rust  on  the  right,  myself  in  the  center,  Gen- 
eral Villepigue  on  the  left.  General  Lovell  left  us  at  this  point, 
and  went  in  the  direction  of  Ripley,  to  report  to  General  Van 
Dorn.  On  his  return  to  the  command,  about  three  hours  after- 
wards, the  Brigade  commanders  were  together  in  the  center  dis- 
cussing their  position.  I  had  asked  General  Rust  to  assume  com- 
mand, and  was  seconded  by  General  Villepigue,  the  officers  having 
first  discovered  that  the  position  was  untenable,  capable  of  being 
curned  on  the  right  and  left.  A  few  seconds  after  General  Lovell's 
return,  report  reached  us  from  Colonel  Jackson,  commanding  cav- 
alry between  us  and  the  enemy,  that  they  were  advancing  on  all 
three  of  the  roads.  We  were  drawn  up  in  line  of  battle  across 
the  center  road;  our  left  and  right  did  not  touch  either  of  the 
others — country  was  open  and  comparatively  level.  General 
Lovell  then  ordered  us  to  resume  our  march  in  the  direction  of 
Ripley,  in  continuation  of  our  retreat.  As  the  Brigades  filed  out 
on  the  road,  we  were  ordered  to  push  the  men  up,  as  the  enemy 
were  advancing  from  Rienzi  to  Ripley,  and  vould  cut  us 
off.  Passing  four  miles  beyond  Ripley,  the  troops  were 
bivouacked,  having  made  a  march  of  about  eighteen  miles 
in  nineteen  hours — the  men  being  without  rations,  consid- 
erably worn  out,  and  showing  signs  of  demoralization.  The 
wagons,  with  provisions,  came  into  camp  about  nine  o'clock 
that  night,  having  been  marched  and  counter-marched  six- 
teen miles,  and  finding  themselves  where  they  were  first 
ordered  to  in  the  morning.  About  eleven  o'clock  my  Brigade 
was  turned  out  under  arms.  I  detailed  one  regiment,  with  a 
small  battalion,  to  go  towards  Ripley,  where  it  was  deployed  as 
skirmishers,  covering  the  bivouac  of  the  command.  The  whole 
command  moved  at  once  next  morning,  my  Brigade  in  rear,  leav- 
ing camp  about  two  o'clock.  We  marched  thence  to  Hickory  Flat, 
about  eighteen  or  twenty  miles  by  the  road  we  took.  The  march 
was  about  ten  hours  in  duration,  and  no  material  delays.  My 
Brigade  remained  under  arms,  at  Hickory  Flat,  until  ten  o'clock 
that  night,  having  been  forty-three  hours  on  duty,  with  two  hours 
intermission,  and  without  rations.  I  had  applied  to  General 
Lovell  three  times  during  the  afternoon  to  be  relieved.  He  ad- 
mitted the  justness  of  my  claim,  and  finally  gave  me  permission 
to  apply  directly  to  General  Van  Dorn,  who  immediately  relieved 
me,  and  gave  the  order  about  seven  o'clock,  and  I  reached  camp 


Corinth.  175 

about  ten  o'clock  as  above  stated.  General  Price's  command  was 
immediately  in  front  of  us  during  the  afternoon  of  the  8th.  I 
saw  them  march  over  the  same  road  three  times — first  moving 
west;  thence  they  took  a  road  to  the  south,  and  returning  took 
the  same  road  to  the  west.  General  Lovell  ordered  my  wagon 
train,  when  in  bivouac  four  miles  south  of  Ripley,  to  proceed 
across  the  Tallahatchie,  at  New  Albany,  and  go  from  thence  to 
Hickory  Flat.  There  was  no  such  route  in  existence.  The  train 
Traveled  upwards  of  sixty  miles,  and  reached  me  three  days  after- 
wards at  Holly  Springs,  having  twice  crossed  the  Tallahatchie, 
my  men  being  compelled  to  subsist  on  parched  corn  and  potatoes 
during  its  absence,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  barrels  of  flour 
borrowed  from  General  Rust,  and  a  half  day's  beef  rations,  which 
was  purchased  and  issued  by  my  acting  commissary. 

Question  by  Recorder. — State  all  the  facts  in  your  knowledge 
bearing  on  the  second  specification  of  the  second  charge. 

Answer. — Lovell's  Division  arrived  at  Holly  Springs  on  the 
loth.  I  proceeded  in  advance  to  procure  rations  and  select  an  en- 
campment— was  notified  by  General  Lovell,  on  my  arrival,  that 
the  post  commissary  had  orders  to  issue  to  my  men.  Having  no 
wagons  I  could  draw  nothing  that  night.  The  train  came  up, 
however,  before  the  morning  of  the  nth,  having  with  it  one  or 
two  days'  rations  left  from  a  former  issue.  From  the  morning  of 
the  nth  to  the  I3th,  my  commissary  repeatedly  applied  for  ra- 
tions, reporting  his  failure  to  get  them  to  me.  I  renewed  my  ap- 
plication to  General  Lovell,  and  endeavored  to  borrow  rations 
from  Generals  Rust  and  Villepigue.  Finding  they  had  none, 
General  Rust  and  myself  went,  in  person,  through  the  neighbor- 
hood, and  succeeded  in  buying  a  hundred  or  two  bushels  of  po- 
tatoes. My  Brigade  received  no  bread  rations  until  the  morning 
of  the  1 6th.  We  then  got  sufficient  corn  meal  to  issue  six  or  eight 
ounces  to  the  man.  I  know  nothing  as  to  when  Rust  and  Ville- 
ypigue  got  theirs,  but  I  know  they  had  none  on  the  morning  of  the 

1  Question  by  Recorder.— State  all  the  facts  in  your  knowledge 
bearing  on  the  third  specification  of  the  second  charge. 
Answer.— I  know  nothing  relative  to  this  specification. 

CROSS  EXAMINED. 

Question  by  Defendant.— You  say  the  sketch  made  by  General 
Van  Dorn,  at  Davis'  house,  was  shown  to  you  to  explain  the  roads 


176  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

leading  to  Tuscumbia.  Did  you  find  any  difficulty  in  reaching  the 
Tuscumbia,  although  the  sketch  was  on  letter  paper,  and  drawn  to 
no  particular  scale  ? 

Answer. — No,  not  the  slightest;  but  the  distance  between  the 
Hatchie  and  the  Tuscumbia,  at  that  point,  is  only  five  miles. 
There  were  two  roads,  both  very  plain.  Colonel  Riley,  whom  I 
sent  out  to  build  the  bridge,  found  the  road  without  seeing  the  map. 

Question  by  Defendant. — What  force  was  sent  to  the  Tuscum- 
bia to  secure  the  building  of  the  bridge? 

Answer. — About  two  hundred  and  eighty  men.  They  were 
picked  men,  and  good  ones.  The  detail  was  for  two  hundred.  I 
sent  1st  Missouri  regiment  entire. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Are  you  aware  of  the  fact  that  Gen- 
eral Armstrong,  with  his  cavalry,  was  ordered  by  General  Van 
Dorn  to  Chewalla  the  same  night  that  you  encamped  at  Davis' 
Bridge  ? 

Answer. — No,  I  heard  that  he  was  somewhere  in  that  direc- 
tion, but  do  not  remember  the  location. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Was  not  our  cavalry  in  front  of 
Lovell's  Division  (our  infantry  advance)  until  within  a  short  dis- 
tance of  the  exterior  works  of  Corinth  ? 

Answer. — Yes.  Jackson's  cavalry  was  continually  in  front 
skirmishing  with  the  enemy,  especially  between  Chewalla  and 
Corinth. 

Question  by  Defendant. — (ist.)  Do  you  know  whether  or  not 
any  provision  was  made  by  defendant  for  bringing  forward  sup- 
plies from  Holly  Springs  to  supply  the  necessities  of  the  army  ? 

(2d.)   When  did  your  Brigade  reach  Davis'  Bridge? 

(3d.)  When  did  you  get  orders  to  cook  three  days'  rations? 
.  (4th.)   How  long  were  we  going  to  Corinth  ? 

(5th.)   How  far  from  Tuscumbia  to  Corinth? 

Answer. — Orders  were  issued  at  Davis'  Mill  to  send  back 
wagons  for  rations  to  Holly  Springs.  The  order  was  not  complied 
with  at  all  in  my  Brigade,  and  I  think  not  in  the  other  two  of 
Lovell's  Division,  our  transportation  being  too  limited  to  spare  any 
wagons.  These  facts  were  reported,  and  nothing  further  said 
about  rations. 

(3d.)  On  the  3oth  of  September,  as  well  as  I  can  remember, 
about  ten  or  eleven  o'clock  A.  M. 

(3d.)   I  got  the  orders  to  cook  three  days'  rations  an  hour  or 


Corinth. 


177 


two  after  my  arrival.     We  only  cooked  two  days'  rations,  having 
but  one  day's  salt  meat. 

(4th.)  We  encamped  one  night  on  the  Chewalla,  and  made  the 
attack  next  morning. 

(5th.)  From  Tuscumbia  to  Corinth  is  from  twelve  to  fifteen 
miles. 

^  Question  by  Defendant. — Explain  why  the  attack  was  made  on 
Corinth  with  a  half  day's  rations? 

Answer. — We  had  two  days'  rations  when  we  left  Davis'  Mills. 
We  were  a  day  and  a  half  in  marching  from  Davis'  Mill  to 
Corinth. 

Question  by  Defendant. — (ist.)  Did  you  get  orders  from  any 
one  to  send  empty  wagons  back  from  Ripley  to  Holly  Springs? 
(2d.)  Did  you  turn  over  rations  to  General  Price's  command  ?  If 
so,  out  of  whose  wagons  were  they  taken,  and  how  much  ? 
^  Answer. — (ist.)  I  got  orders  to  send  back  empty  wagons  from 
General  Lovell,  but  had  none  to  send.  (2d.)  I  turned  over  four 
thousand  pounds  of  flour  and  a  sack  of  salt  to  General  Price's 
command,  taken  out  of  the  different  regimental  wagons  of  my  Bri- 
gade. 

Question  by  the  Court. — What  became  of  the  wagons  emptied 
by  the  issue  of  rations  to  the  troops,  on  the  march  from  Davis' 
Mill  to  Davis'  Bridge,  and  also  of  those  emptied  by  issue  to  Gen- 
eral Price's  command  ? 

Anwer. — There  were  no  wagons  emptied  by  the  issue.  I  had 
not  transportation  enough  for  a  commissary  train,  and  had  to 
divide  the  fifteen  days'  rations  issued  immediately  among  regi- 
ments. They  were  transported  mixed  in  with  the  lighter  baggage 
of  the  command,  and  in  some  of  the  regiments  two  days'  rations 
were  cooked  and  packed  by  the  men  when  we  started  from  Davis' 
Mill  near  La  Grange.  About  two  or  three  wagons  were  broken 
down  on  the  march,  and  all  of  them  overloaded  when  we  started. 
My  command  had  been  reduced  prior  to  the  march,  to  the  min- 
imum allowance  under  General  Bragg's  order,  and  had  been  in- 
creased subsequently  by  the  assignment  of  seven  hundred  and 
twenty-five  conscripts  to  three  of  the  regiments. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  mean  to  be  understood  as  say- 
ing that  there  was  no  firing  in  the  division  to  which  you  belonged, 
on  Friday,  the  first  day  of  the  attack  on  Corinth,  after  two 
o'clock  p.  M.  ? 

12 


178  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

Answer. — There  was  firing  by  the  First  Missouri  regiment  of 
my  Brigade,  which  was  engaged  with  the  enemy  over  half  a  mile 
in  front  of  us.  There  was  no  firing  by  the  remaining  troops  of  my 
Brigade,  or  those  of  Rust's,  or  Villepigue,  in  my  sight.  I  could 
see  nearly  all  of  their  regiments.  The  Second  Texas  regiment,  in 
General  Moore's  Brigade,  in  Price's  army,  was  engaged  at  the 
same  time  with  the  First  Missouri  immediately  in  our  front. 

Question  by  Defendant. — In  your  official  report  of  the  action  of 
your  Brigade  at  Corinth,  does  not  this  passage  occur :  "  The 
First  Missouri  regiment,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Riley  commanding, 
proceeded  onward,  drove  the  enemy  from  one  of  their  encamp- 
ments nearly  a  rrtile  inside  their  works,  holding  the  same  under  fire 
until  the  second  line  of  battle  was  formed,  toward  sunset."  Is  that 
correct  ? 

Answer. — It  is. 

Question  by  Defendant. — You  say  that  about  five  o'clock  Gen- 
eral Lovell  made  a  circuitous  detour  to  the  right.  Was  not  that 
detour  made  by  him  for  the  purpose  of  attacking  a  work  advan- 
tageously which  was  on  your  front  ?  and  was  not  that  work  carried 
by  Moore's  Brigade  ? 

Answer. — The  detour  was  made  for  the  purpose  of  taking  the 
work  but  not  the  same  one  that  was  attacked  by  General  Moore's 
Brigade,  Moore's  Brigade  and  the  work  attached  being  consider- 
ably to  the  left  of  Lovell's  Division,  after  the  detour  spoken  of. 

Question  by  Defendant. — You  say  that  a  little  before  sundown, 
on  Friday,  the  Division  of  General  Lovell  advanced  and  occupied 
the  line  of  encampments  of  the  enemy  behind  three  redoubts  which 
had  been  abandoned  by  the  enemy  ?  Do  you  know  what  had  trans- 
pired in  General  Price's  corps,  on  your  left,  between  the  hours  of 
two  o'clock  P.  M.  and  dark  of  that  day? 

Answer. — I  know  nothing  of  what  transpired  in  General  Price's 
corps,'  except  in  the  Second  Texas  regiment  of  Moore's  Brigade. 

Question  by  Defendant. — You  state  that  on  the  morning  of  the 
4th  you  found  a  large  force  in  your  front — afterwards  that  you 
marched  to  the  front  in  line  of  battle,  until  you  came  in  sight  of 
the  work.  When  did  the  force  leave  your  front? 

Answer. — If  so  recorded  in  my  testimony  it  was  a  mistake.  The 
force  was  at  the  fortifications  alluded  to  subsequently  in  my  tes- 
timony. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Were  your  pickets  on  the  night  of  the 


Corinth.  179 

third  in  advance  of  your  lines,  far  from  the  enemy's  pickets? 
How  would  you  propose  to  find  the  strength  and  position  of  the 
enemy  on  that  night  ? 

Answer. — I  should  think  so  from  the  'fact  that  they  were  not 
disturbed  during  the  night.  Had  I  been  in  command  I  would  have 
pushed  a  line  of  skirmishers  up  to  the  works  of  the  enemy,  sup- 
porting them  with  a  reserve.  It  was  a  moonlight  night. 

Question  by  Defendant. — How  could  the  enemy  have  been  pre- 
vented, on  Friday  night,  from  reinforcing  Corinth  from  the  east 
and  south? 

Answer. — By  attacking  and  driving  them  out  of  Corinth  on  Fri- 
day afternoon. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  mean  to  say  that  you  would 
have  made  a  night  attack  on  Friday? 

Answer. — Not  necessarily.  I  believe  that  the  place  could  have 
been  carried  during  the  afternoon,  and  by  eight  o'clock  p.  M. 

Question  by  Defendant. — In  what  way? 

Answer. — The  enemy's  center  was  broken  near  the  railroad.  I 
saw  it  retiring  in  confusion,  pursued  simply  by  a  line  of  skir- 
mishers. If  the  whole  of  Lovell's  Division  had  moved  directly  for- 
ward we  could  have  entered  pell-mell  with  them  into  town. 

Question  by  Defendant. — When  the  enemy  broke,  as  you  say, 
and  fled,  why  was  the  attack  on  the  right  not  made  ?  Is  it  usual 
for  troops  to  wait  for  orders  under  such  circumstances  ? 

Ansiver. — I  should  think  not,  but  the  different  Brigades  were 
halted  by  General  Lovell.  Two  of  my  regiments  had  to  be  called 
back — rather  one  regiment  and  a  battalion,  the  officers  having 
considered  that  they  had  full  authority  to  pursue,  and  that  they 
were  being  supported. 

Question  by  Defendant. — That  opportunity  lost,  could  prepara- 
tions be  made  to  take  the  place  by  assault  before  dark  ? 

Answer. — If  the  line  had  formed  within  an  hour,  and  the  ad- 
vance made  directly  upon  the  center,  I  think  the  place  would  have 
fallen. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Was  there  continuous  fire  on  the  cen- 
ter and  left  of  our  forces  until  nearly  dark  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  continuous  random  firing,  the  enemy  having  ral- 
lied reformed  at  that  point,  as  I  believe,  at  the  time,  to  cover  their 
retreat.  ^f 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  kno^inything  of  the  condi- 


180  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

tion  of  things  on  our  left;  or  the  opposition  made  by  the  enemy 
in  that  quarter? 

Answer. — I  do  not. 

Question  by  Defendant. — You  say  that  you  saw  the  center  of 
the  enemy  break ;  what  was  the  amount  of  the  force  of  the  enemy's 
center  ? 

Answer. — About  five  regiments  which  I  saw.  They  were  run- 
ning in  confusion,  and  passing  helter  skelter  through  a  train  of 
wagons,  one  or  two  of  which  were  broken  down,  and  the  quar- 
termaster of  the  train  was  shot  by  one  of  the  skirmishers  of  our 
command,  who  failed  to  hear  the  order  calling  them  in.  I  cap- 
tured a  team  of  mules  from  this  train,  and  used  it  to  bring  off  the 
"  Lady  Richardson,"  parrot  gun  captured. 

Question  by  Defendant. — How  far  off  were  you  from  the  in- 
ner entrenchments  at  this  time  ? 

Answer. — There  was  a  line  of  redoubts  with  an  abatis  imme- 
diately to  our  right,  and  a  little  to  the  front.  I  think  there  were 
no  guns  in  position  in  any  of  these  redoubts  at  this  time.  The  in- 
ner line  to  the  right,  where  my  Brigade  was  drawn  up  on  the  sec- 
ond morning,  was  to  the  right  and  front  about  one  and  a  half 
miles.  The  works  immediately  in  front  I  never  saw. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Whose  were  the  troops  that  broke  the 
center  ? 

Answer. — General  Lovell's,  with  the  right  of  General  Price's. 
I  think  it  was  Moore's  Brigade. 

Question  by  Defendant. — (ist.)  Did  you  hear  any  heavy  firing 
on  the  left,  some  distance  off,  after  this?  (2d.)  Do  you  know 
what  the  force  of  the  enemy  was,  at  this  time,  in  your  front,  or  on 
your  right  and  front? 

Answer. — (ist.)  I  think  I  heard  some  artillery  firing  about  that 
time  to  the  left.  (2d.)  I  do  not  know,  except  the  five  or  six  regi- 
ments which  were  flying  from  us.  I  cannot  tell  whether  they  were 
supported  or  not,  the  recalled  regiments  not  having  pushed  the 
pursuit  far  enough  to  ascertain. 

Question  by  Defendant. — If  you  had  advanced  in  pursuit  of  the 
enemy  at  this  point,  and  been  checked,  and  a  column  had  deployed 
on  your  right,  what  would  have  been  the  consequence?  (2d.)  Do 
you  know  that  there  was  no  force  of  the  enemy  on  your  right  ? 

Answer. — I  wat  fully  satisfied  at  the  time  that  the  entire  left  of 
the  enemy  was  falling  back,  their  whole  movement  indicating  it. 


Corinth.  rgj 

Question  by  Defendant— What  do  you  consider  was  the  forge 
of  the  enemy  in  Corinth  at  the  time  the  attack  was  made  ? 

Answer.— I  should  think  there  were  about  fifteen  thousand  men ; 
it  is  only  a  conjecture  on  my  part. 

Question  by  Defendant. — How  far  to  the  left  of  Corinth  did  the 
enemy's  line  of  battle  extend  ? 

Ansiver. — I  had  no  means  of  ascertaining,  and  dcn't  know. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  know  whether  or  not  the  force 
you  saw  the  next  morning  in  the  entrenchments,  were  there  at  this 
time? 

Answer. — I  am  not  positive;  it  is  only  surmise  that  they  were 
not. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Did  you  suppose  that  with  a  force  of 
fifteen  thousand  men  the  enemy's  center  would  consist  of  only  five 
regiments  ? 

Answer. — I  did  not  see  the  whole  of  the  enemy's  center.  In 
speaking  of  five  regiments,  I  alluded  to  those  immediately  in  front 
of  my  own  Brigade. 

Question  by  Defendant. — (ist.)  Do  you  know  whether  the 
sketch  in  possession  of  General  Lovell  was  intended  to  represent 
anything  more  than  the  locality  of  the  works  and  not  the  number 
of  guns?  (2d.)  Where  is  that  sketch? 

Answer. — The  sketch  in  possession  of  General  Lovell  was  a  very 
rough  one,  and  very  much  defaced,  and  only  intended  to  show 
the  supposed  location  of  the  works.  I  do  not  know  where  it  is.  It 
remained  in  his  possession. 

Question  by  Defendant. — The  first  specification  of  the  first 
charge  states  that  the  enemy  was  strongly  fortified,  and  in  formi- 
dable numbers,  fully  prepared  for  a  stubborn  resistance,  and  that 
the  attack  was  made  without  due  consideration  or  forethought. 
As  you  state,  Corinth  might  have  been  taken  in  the  evening  of  the 
3d ;  did  you,  at  this  time,  change  your  opinion  ? 

Answer. — I  have  not  changed  my  opinion.  It  appeared  to  me 
that  provision  should  have  been  made,  and  a  distinct  understanding 
in  case  our  impetuous  attack  on  the  advance  works  was  successful, 
in  what  manner  it  was  to  be  followed  up. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  know  that  no  such  orders  were 
given  by  General  Van  Dorn? 

Answer. — I  do  not,  but  am  satisfied  that  the  mode  in  which  the 
attempt  was  followed  up,  was  not  the  result  of  proper  reflection. 


182  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  mean  here  to  say  the  mode  of 
the  attack  was  followed  up  in  the  Division  or  Brigade  to  which 
you  belonged,  or  to  the  whole  army  ? 

Answer. — In  the  Division  to  which  I  belonged,  General  Lovell 
appeared  to  me  to  be  very  undecided,  and  seemed  to  be  waiting 
orders. 

[Court  cleared  by  request  of  General  Maury,  and  determined  to 
confine  the  questions  and  testimony  more  closely  to  the  subject.] 

Question  by  Defendant. — Was  your  Brigade  put  on  duty  as  rear 
guard  by  order  of  General  Lovell,  or  Van  Dorm  ?  and  who  kept 
them  there  forty-three  hours? 

Answer. — They  were  first  put  on  duty  with  Lovell's  whole  di- 
vision and  subsequently  detached  by  General  Lovell.  He  refused 
three  times  to  relieve  me,  and  I  subsequently  appealed  to  General 
Van  Dorn,  who  then  relieved  me. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Did  General  Van  Dorn  go  from  Rip- 
ley  to  Hickory  Flat,  on  the  road  taken  by  your  divisioi.,  or  on  that 
taken  by  General  Price? 

Answer. — On  the  road  taken  by  General  Price. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Did  you  hear  anything  of  orders  hav- 
ing been  given  by  me  for  your  division  to  encamp  between  Orizava 
and  Hickory  Flat  ? 

Answer. — The  orders  received  from  General  Lovell  vere  to 
go  via  New  Albany  to  Hickory  Flat,  and  that  he  had  orders  from 
General  Van  Dorn  to  camp  about  twelve  miles  from  their  position 
near  Ripley.  I  think  Orizava  is  the  point  he  intended  to  reach ; 
though  I  did  not  know  it  by  that  name. 

Question  by  Defendant — What  part  of  this  march  do  you  con- 
sider as  reflecting  upon  General  Van  Dorn's  treatment  of  officers 
and  soldiers  ? 

Answer. — The  useless  delay  of  Lovell's  division  in  front  of  Rip- 
ley  when  we  were  all  without  rations.  The  marching  and  coun- 
ter marching  of  the  trains  through  Ripley,  by  which  they  were 
delayed  so  long,  that  many  of  the  men  in  the  division  failed  to 
procure  rations  that  night.  I  am  unable  to  say  from  whom  these 
orders  emanated.  The  subsequent  suffering  of  my  Brigade  re- 
sulted from  want  of  knowledge  of  the  route  by  General  Lovell. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Were  you  in  a  position  to  know  the 
reasons  for  the  movements  of  the  trains,  or  even  of  your  division  ? 
Do  you  not  think  that  General  Van  Dorn  may  have  had  sources  of 


Corinth.  183 

information  that  would  cause  the  changes  you  refer  to  in  regard  to 
the  trains? 

Answer. — (ist.)  I  was  in  a  position  to  know.  The  cavalry,  I 
would  state,  who  were  covering  our  left  and  rear,  reported  di- 
rectly to  the  Division. 

(2d.)  I  think  not. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Did  you  hear  when  you  were  near  Rip- 
ley  that  the  enemy  had  appeared  to  the  east  of  Ripley,  and  that 
their  advance  was  then  about  seven  miles  off  ? 

Ansiver. — I  did.  Heard  it  from  General  Van  Dom's  head- 
quarters, first  about  four  o'clock  in  the  evening,  and  when  the  col- 
umn was  about  three  miles  from  Ripley.  I  had  heard  a  rumor 
before  that  but  did  not  credit  it. 

Question  by  Defendant. — You  state  that  on  the  first  occasion  of 
going  out  from  the  camp  seven  miles  north  of  Ripley,  that  Gen- 
eral Lovell  said  it  was  a  stampede.  Afterwards  three  miles  north 
of  Ripley,  you  formed  line  of  battle  again ;  and  received  word  from 
Colonel  Jackson  that  the  enemy  were  advancing  on  all  the  roads, 
was  this  the  same  day? 

Answer. — It  was. 

Question  by  Defendant. — (ist.)  Were  any  rations  due  your 
men  when  you  arrived  at  Holly  Springs  ? 

(2d.)   When  was  the  first  issued  you  according  to  your  returns? 

(3d.)  When  did  you  first  draw  rations  after  reaching  Holly 
Springs  ? 

(4th.)  Did  you  get  all  the  parts  of  the  rations  at  any  time  be- 
fore this,  except  bread  or  flour  ? 

(5th.)  What  were  the  means  at  the  disposal  of  General  Van 
Dorn  for  getting  rations? 

Answer. — (ist.)  About  three  or  four  days. 

(2d.)  I  cannot  remember,  about  the  I2th  according  to  back  re- 
turns on  the  loth.  My  requisition  was  made  on  the  I2th.  The 
former  rations  expired  on  the  loth. 

(3d  and  4th.)  The  first  bread  rations  were  issued  on  the  I5th 
or  i6th.  The  men  had  beef,  and  the  small  rations. 

(5th.)  He  had  a  railroad  for  their  transportation.  had 
bought  quantities  of  flour,  sufficient  for  twelve  regiments,  at  Davis' 
mills,  for  ten  days.  The  railroad  connection  was  complete  at 
Davis'  mills,  when  we  arrived  at  Holly  Springs.  If  the  mill  had 
been  run  to  its  full  capacky  and  the  flour  brought  down,  I  think 


1 84  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

it  would  have  been  sufficient  for  the  command  for  a  day  or  two; 
at  least  local  mills  in  the  neighborhood  could  have  furnished  corn 
meal. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  know  that  they  could?  Do 
you  know  whether  or  not  any  effort  was  made  to  get  meal  from 
the  neighboring  mills  ? 

Answer. — Yes.  Lumpkin's  mill  could  have  furnished  it,  and 
others,  if  they  had  been  set  to  work  prior  to  our  arrival.  An  ef- 
fort was  made  by  the  whole  Commissary  Department  on  our  ar- 
rival, but  the  supply  was  not  adequate,  and  two  or  three  days 
coming  in. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Did  you  get  any  rations  for  your 
command  from  the  Commissary  Department,  on  the  road  from 
Corinth  to  Holly  Springs — if  so,  how  much  ? 

Ansiver. — I  borrowed  six  beeves  and  eleven  barrels  of  flour 
from  General  Rust.  I  got  none  from  the  Commissary,  but  he 
offered  to  issue  me  beef  at  Hickory  Flat. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  remember  anything  of  a  train 
of  provisions  having  arrived  at  Ripley  from  Holly  Springs? 

Answer. — No ;  but  they  may  have  arrived,  and  my  Commissary 
received  some  provisions. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Did  you  see  General  Van  Dorn  often, 
on  the  march  from  Davis'  mill  to  Corinth,  and  from  Corinth  to 
Holly  Springs — if  so,  did  you  see  him  at  any  time  intoxicated,  or 
otherwise  not  in  a  condition  to  discharge  the  duties  of  a  com- 
manding General? 

Answer. — I  saw  General  Van  Dorn  repeatedly  on  the  march  to 
Corinth,  and  two  or  three  times  during  the  retreat.  He  was  per- 
fectly sober,  and  was,  so  far  as  I  could  judge,  active  and  energetic 
in  discharging  his  duties  as  commanding  officer. 

CROSS   EXAMINATION   FINISHED. 

Question  by  the  Court. — How  far  from  the  forks  of  the  Rocky 
Ford  road,  and  Tippah  Crossing  road,  on  the  Rocky  Ford  road, 
did  General  Price's  command  proceed? 

Answer. — I  do  not  know  that  they  proceeded  over  two  miles. 

Question  by  the  Court. — Did  the  troops  on  any  two  consecutive 
days  from  the  5th  to  the  Qth  inclusive,  make  what  could  be  called 
a  long  march  ? 


Corinth,  185 

Answer. — Yes. 

Question  by  the  Court. — State  the  length  of  the  march  on  the 
4th,  5th,  6th,  /th,  8th  and  9th  days  ? 

Answer. — On  the  4th  to  Chewalla  eight  miles ;  on  the  5th 
eighteen  or  twenty;  on  the  6th  eight  miles;  on  the  7th  Lovell's 
Division  marched  about  twenty-two  miles;  on  the  8th  twenty 
miles ;  and  on  the  Qth  about  ten  or  twelve  miles,  not  over. 

Question  by  the  Court. — At  the  camp  south  of  Ripley,  when 
you  left  at  one  o'clock  in  the  morning,  had  your  men  supped  the 
night  before? 

Answer. — They  had. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Had  they  breakfasted  the  same  morn- 
ing? 

Answer. — They  had  not. 

The  Court  adjourned  at  four  o'clock  P.  M.,  to  meet  again  Tues- 
day, 1 8th  November,  at  nine  o'clock.. 

Tuesday,  November  i8th,  1862. 

The  Court  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 

Present— Maj. -Gen.  S.  Price,  P.  A.  C.  S.,  Maj.-Gen.  D.  H, 
Maury,  P.  A.  C.  S.,  Brig.-Gen.  L.  Tilghman,  P.  A.  C.  S.,  Capt.  E, 
Cummins,  P.  A.  C.  S. 

Brigadier-General  M.  E.  GREENE  sworn. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Were  your  supplies  of  commissary 
stores  insufficient  when  you  marched  to  the  attack  of  Corinth  ? 

Answer. — We  were  never  out  of  supplies.  Sometimes  we  were 
not  as  well  supplied  as  we  desired  to  be.  There  was  some  com- 
plaint among  the  men  that  they  did  not  get  enough. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Were  your  troops  marched  in  a  hasty 
and  disorderly  manner? 

Answer. — They  were  marched  fast.  I  think  generally  in  pretty 
good  order. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Was  it  obvious  to  your  mind  that  the 
attack  should  have  been  continued  Friday  evening,  or  that  suc- 
cess was  prevented  by  waiting  until  next  morning? 

Answer. — My  opinion  at  the  time  was  that  so  far  as  my  Bri- 
gade was  concerned  I  could  have  gone  into  the  town.  There  was 
nothing  in  the  way.  This  was  half  an  hour  before  sunset. 

Question  by  Recorder, — Could  General  Van  Dorn  have  pre- 


1 86  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

vented  the  enemy  from  reinforcing  himself  during  the  succeed- 
ing night  ? 

Answer. — I  do  not  see  how  he  could  have  prevented  it,  unless 
by  the  cavalry. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Could  you  tell  by  the  noise  of  the 
wagons  and  artillery  carriages,  whether  the  enemy  was  reinforc- 
ing or  evacuating? 

Answer. — I  could  not.  I  did  not  think  they  were  evacuating. 
What  made  me  doubt  they  were  evacuating,  was  the  chopping  of 
timber.  There  was  a  difference  of  opinion  among  the  officers 
with  whom  I  discussed  the  matter.  I  also  doubted  they  were 
evacuating,  because  I  heard  the  cars  coming  in  twice,  and  a  shout 
on  their  arrival. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Are  you  aware  of  any  circuitous  or  un- 
necessary marching  on  the  return  from  Corinth?  Were  any  of 
your  troops  starving? 

Answer. — The  route,  I  believe,  was  circuitous.  There  was  no 
counter-marching  but  once  that  I  remember.  I  do  not,  of  course, 
refer  to  the  counter-marching  at  Hatchie  Bridge,  which  I  con- 
sider to  have  been  necessary.  None  of  my  troops  were  starving ; 
they  were  hard  run  for  bread,  and  had  it  not  been  for  potatoes, 
we  would  have  been  badly  off. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Did  your  troops,  after  reaching  Lump- 
kins's  mill,  suffer  by  reason  of  the  non-issue  of  breadstuffs? 

Answer. — I  don't  think  there  was  any  suffering.  I  think  there 
was  some  scarcity,  but  with  the  potatoes  there  was  no  suffering. 

CROSS  EXAMINED  BY  DEFENDANT. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Did  you  see  the  defenses  immediately 
around  the  town  of  Corinth  in  the  evening  of  the  3d  ?  If  so,  were 
they  manned?  and  did  they  mount  guns? 

Answer. — On  my  right  I  did  not  see  them ;  immediately  in  my 
front  I  saw  no  obstacle ;  on  the  left  I  saw  fortifications  and  guns 
mounted,  and  they  were  manned.  But  on  going  in,  in  the  morn- 
ing, there  were  fortifications  immediately  before  me;  whether 
they  were  there  in  the  evening,  or  built  in  the  night,  I  do  not 
know. 

Question  by  Defense. — Do  you  remember  having  received  ra- 
tions at  Ripley  on  the  return  from  Corinth? 


Corinth.  187 

Answer. — Yes,  I  received  some  there. 

Question  by  Defense. — State  the  character  of  the  fortifications 
assailed  by  your  command  on  the  morning  of  the  4th. 

Answer. — On  the  3d  I  commanded  only  my  Brigade.  On  the 
4th  I  commanded  a  Division.  The  fortifications  in  front  of  my 
Brigade  were  not  very  heavy,  nor  very  strongly  manned;  those 
in  front  of  the  ist  and  4th  Brigades  were  very  strong  and  heavily 
manned.  There  seemed  to  be  two  or  three  ranks  of  infantry  be- 
hind— the  artillery  very  thick;  I  did  not  count  them;  there  were 
about,  some  said,  seventy-five  pieces.  These  fortifications  had 
been  much  improved  during  the  night. 

Question  of  Defense. — Did  you  see  General  Van  Dorn  often  on 
the  march  to  Corinth,  and  on  the  return  to  Holly  Springs  ?  If  so, 
did  you,  at  any  time,  see  him  intoxicated,  or  in  any  way  incapaci- 
tated for  the  discharge  of  his  duties  as  commanding  General  ? 

Answer. — I  did  not  see  him  very  often,  but  when  I  did  see  him, 
I  never  saw  him  incapacitated  in  any  way.  During  the  time  re- 
ferred to,  I  saw  General  Van  Dorn  at  least  twice — once  going 
into  battle,  and  the  second  time  when  the  retreat  was  ordered. 
On  both  these  occasions  he  appeared  as  he  always  does.  I  never 
have  seen  General  Van  Dorn  at  all  out  of  the  way,  at  any  time. 

DR.  T.  D.  WOOTEN  being  duly  sworn,  deposes  as  follows : 
Question  by  Recorder. — Have  you  any  knowledge  of  the  facts 

alleged  in  the  third  specification,  second  charge?    If  so,  state  the 

facts. 

Answer. — I  have  no  knowledge  of  any  of  the  facts  alleged  in 

the  specifications. 

Major-General  STERLING  PRICE  being  duly  sworn,  deposes  as 
follows : 

Question  by  Recorder. — Did  General  Van  Dorn  have  in  his 
possession,  or  make  use  of  maps  of  the  roads  and  localities  about 
Corinth  ? 

Answer. — He  had  in  his  possession  one  of  the  best  maps  I  have 
ever  seen  made  by  any  Engineer  Officer.  I  gave  it  to  him  myself 
at  Ripley  before  we  went  to  Corinth ;  which  map  was  taken  from 
a  Federal  Engineer  officer  captured  at  luka. 

Question  by  Recorder.— Did  General  Van  Dorn  avail  himself 
of  your  engineer  corps? 


1 88  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

Answer. — I  think  he  did.  I  think  they  were  called  upon  and 
superintended  the  construction  of  the  bridge  near  Pocahontas. 
My  impression  is  they  were  ordered  to  report  to  General  Van  Dorn. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Were  your  engineers  acquainted  with 
the  localities  about  Corinth? 

Answer. — Somewhat.  I  think  so.  One  of  them  was  in  the 
service  of  General  Beauregard  at  Corinjth,  in  constructing  roads, 
and  must  necessarily  have  been  acquainted  with  the  country. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Was  your  supply  of  commissary  storesj 
insufficient  when  you  marched  to  the  attack? 

Answer. — Yes,  and  I  so  informed  General  Van  Dorn.  General 
Van  Dorn  replied  to  me  that  he  would  spare  me  some  rations  on 
the  way  to  Corinth,  which  he  did.  He  also  informed  me  that  he 
would  send  to  Holly  Springs  for  an  additional  supply  of  rations, 
which  he  thought  would  reach  Corinth  nearly  as  soon  as  the  army. 
He,  at  the  same  time,  called  upon  me  for  all  the  wagons  I  could 
spare  from  my  command,  with  a  suitable  officer  to  take  charge  of 
the  train  on  that  service.  I  think  I  turned  over  about  fifty 
wagons  from  my  command,  and  the  officer,  as  directed.  I  further 
heard  General  Van  Dorn  give  instructions  to  one  of  his  officers 
to  hire,  for  the  same  purpose,  all  the  wagons  that  could  be  pro- 
cured in  the  country.  We  met  one  train  of  those  wagons,  as  I 
was  informed,  near  the  Hatchie  Bridge,  on  the  day  after  the  last 
day's  fight  at  Corinth,  Sunday.  When  we  reached  Ripley,  on 
the  retreat,  General  Van  Dorn  informed  me  that  there  were  forty 
wagons  loaded  with  provisions  at  that  place,  and  that  he  had 
given  instructions  to  turn  over  half  the  provisions  to  my  com- 
mand, and  the  other  half  to  General  Lovell.  I  immediately  sent 
my  commissary  to  receive  the  rations  turned  over  to  my  com- 
mand, which  he  received.  My  army  corps  was  about  two-thirds 
of  the  whole  army. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Were  your  troops  marched  in  a  hasty 
or  disorderly  manner  when  going  to  Corinth? 

Ansiver. — I  thought  not  too  much  so.  I  am  sure  they  were  not 
marched  in  a  disorderly  manner,  and  I  am  sure  not  too  rapidly, 
under  the  circumstances.  I  think  there  was  no  suffering  among 
my  troops  on  that  account,  notwithstanding  they  had  been 
marched  rapidly  to  and  from  luka.  I  did  not  think  even  under 
these  circumstances  that  the  march  was  too  hasty. 

Question  by  Recorder, — Was  it  obvious  to  your  mind  that  the 


Corinth.  189 

atttack  should  have  been  continued  Friday  afternoon,  or  that 
success  was  prevented  by  waiting  until  next  morning? 

Answer. — It  was  not  obvious  to  my  mind  that  the  attack  should 
have  been  continued  on  Friday  afternoon.  In  attacking  the 
outer  fortifications,  after  a  brisk  march  of  eight  miles  that  morn- 
ing, my  command  had  to  charge  through  felled  timber  near  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  in  distance,  in  extremely  warm  weather ;  and 
after  carrying  those  fortifications  they  pursued  the  enemy  some 
half  mile  rapidly,  and  in  following  closely  after  my  army,  I  came 
to  many  soldiers  who  had  fallen  with  sunstroke  and  exhaustion. 
I  halted  my  command,  and  had  those  exhausted  soldiers  cared  for, 
and  rested  the  army  perhaps  an  hour.  When  General  Van  Dorn 
himself  came  up,  we  then  continued  the  pursuit,  and  soon  en- 
gaged the  enemy.  The  battle  continued  until  near  sundown,  the 
greater  portion  of  which  time  the  firing  was  terrific.  My  im- 
pression is  that  General  Van  Dorn  consulted  me  after  the  firing 
had  ceased,  for  we  were  together  a  great  deal  and  consulted  fre- 
quently during  the  battle.  I  know  that  it  was  my  opinion  that  it 
would  have  been  better  to  have  continued  the  pursuit  into  the 
town  on  that  night  if  General  Lovell  was  ready  to  support  me, 
but  as  that  fact  was  not  known  it  was  prudent  to  delay  the  attack 
on  the  town  until  the  succeeding  morning.  My  army  was  then 
ordered  to  bivouac  in  their  then  position. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Could  General  Van  Dorn  have  pre- 
vented the  enemy  reinforcing  that  night? 

Answer. — I  think  not. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Could  you  tell  by  the  noise  of  the 
wagons  and  artillery  carriages  whether  the  enemy  was  reinforc- 
ing or  evacuating  Corinth? 

Answer. — I  had  a  conversation  with  General  Van  Dorn  on  the 
subject  that  night,  or  early  next  morning,  who  was  nearer  the 
enemy  that  night  than  I  was  myself,  and  I  think  I  learned  from 
him  that  he  had  heard  the  noise  of  wheels  of  wagons,  etc.,  during 
the  night,  and  that  it  was  his  impression  that  they  were  evacuat- 
ing Corinth.  I  do  not  think  I  heard  this  noise  of  the  wagons 
myself. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Are  you  aware  of  any  circuitous  or  un- 
necessary marching  on  the  retreat  from  Corinth  ? 

Answer. — I  do  not  know  that  there  was  any  unnecessary,  cir- 
cuitous or  any  counter-marching  of  consequence  in  my  command. 


A  Soldier's  Honor. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Were  any  of  your  men  starving  at  this 
tink,  ? 

Answer. — I  think  not.  Their  rations  had  become  perhaps 
scarcer  than  they  would  have  been  on  account  of  the  return  of 
some  of  the  provision  wagons  that  had  reached  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Hatchie  Bridge^  and  had  heard  that  the  enemy  were  be- 
tween them  and  our  army.  In  a  word,  I  would  say  that  I  believe 
every  necessary  provision  had  been  made  to  supply  the  men  with 
rations,  and  I  believe  I  know  as  much  about  it  as  anybody  ex- 
cept General  Van  Dorn.  I  had  heard  his  orders  given,  and 
thought  them  sufficient. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Did  your  troops,  after  reaching  Lump- 
kin's  mill,  suffer  by  reason  of  the  non-issue  of  breadstuffs  ? 

Answer. — I  am  not  aware  that  they  did. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Have  you  any  knowledge  of  the  facts 
alleged  in  the  third  specification  of  the  second  charge? 

Answer. — I  know  nothing  about  it,  nor  did  I  hear  of  it  until  I 
saw  it  in  that  specification. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Did  the  troops  in  your  command 
charge  the  enemy,  and  push  forward  at  every  opportunity  as  gal- 
lantly as  our  troops  have  ever  done  within  your  observation;  or 
was  any  opportunity  lost  for  gaining  ground  up  to  the  halt  and 
cessation  of  firing  at  sundown  ? 

Answer. — The  gallantry  displayed  by  my  troops  on  that  oc- 
casion has  never  been  surpassed  in  my  observation,  if  it  has  been 
equaled,  and  they  pushed  forward  with  great  eagerness,  and 
encountered  the  enemy  wherever  he  was  found.  No  opportunity 
was  lost  for  gaining  ground  I  think  until  sundown,  when  the  order 
was  given  to  halt  and  bivouac  for  the  night. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  know  whether  or  not  the  ces- 
sation of  firing  was  by  General  Van  Dorn's  order,  or  by  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  battle,  the  enemy  having  retired  within  his  inner 
entrenchments  ? 

Answer. — It  was  not  by  General  Van  Dorn's  order  to  me,  but 
by  the  retiring  of  the  enemy,  and  the  late  hour  of  the  day. 

Question  by  Defendant. — If  it  had  been  determined  upon  to  at- 
tack the  entrenchments  of  Corinth  that  evening,  would  the  neces- 
sary preparations  to  do  so  have  been  taken  until  after  dark? 

Answer. — I  should  think  so.     It  would  have  been  necessary  to 


Corinth. 

have  brought  General  Lovell  up  in  supporting  distance,  and  some 
of  my  Brigades  which  were  stationed  along  the  railroad  far  to  the 
left.  It  would  have  been  necessary  to  have  reformed  the  line  be- 
fore charging  the  inner  works,  which  I  think  would  have  occu- 
pied more  time  than  we  would  have  had  daylight. 

Question  by  Defendant. — After  taking  the  exterior  works  of 
the  enemy,  and  resting  your  troops  as  stated  by  you,  do  you  re- 
member at  what  hour  when  your  dispositions  for  renewing  the  at- 
tack were  made  your  whole  line  became  engaged;  state  also  the 
character  and  length  of  that  conflict? 

Ansiver. — I  do  not  recollect  the  hour  of  the  day.  I  paid  but 
little  attention  to  that,  but  I  should  think  it  was  between  two  and 
three  o'clock  probably,  and  that  the  engagement  must  have  lasted* 
between  two  and  three  hours,  sometimes  with  terrific  firing  along 
nearly  the  whole  length  of  my  line. 

Question  by  Defendant. — If  two  hours  more  of  daylight  had 
been  given  us  what  do  you  think  would  have  been  the  result  of 
the  contest? 

Answer. — That  I  cannot  tell.  My  impression  is,  that  with  a 
cordial  support  from  General  Lovell's  command  we  would  have 
carried  their  works  and  held  them. 

Question  by  Defendant. — If  you  saw  General  Van  Dorn  on  the 
battle-field  of  Corinth  on  the  3d  and  4th  of  October,  and  on  the 
5th~  at  the  Hatchie,  state  what  was  his  condition  as  to  sobriety, 
or  fitness  to  discharge  his  duties  as  commanding  General.  State 
also  his  condition  as  to  sobriety  and  capacity  in  moving  on  Cor- 
inth and  returning  from  it. 

Answer. — I  was  with  General  Van  Dorn  a  great  deal,  both  in 
the  advance  upon,  and  returning  from  Corinth,  and  during  the 
battle,  and  I  have  never  seen  him,  either  then  or  at  any  other  time 
when  I  thought  he  was  at  all  intoxicated;  and  will  state  farther, 
that  he  conducted  himself  during  the  entire  engagement  with 
coolness  and  determination ;  and  I  recollect  no  difference  of  opin- 
ion between  us  in  the  management  of  the  fight ;  the  only  difference 
of  opinion  was  in  the  movement  upon  Corinth,  before  receiving 
the  reinforcements  from  Jackson. 

Question  by  Defendant. — When  did  you  first  become  acquainted 
with  General  Van  Dorn?  how  long  have  you  served  with  him? 
do  you  know  him  to  be  an  intemperate  man  within  the  time? 

Answer. — I  first  became  acquainted  with  General  Van  Dorn  a 


192  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

few  days  before  the  battle  of  Elkhorn,  about  the  ist  of  March, 
1862 ;  and  as  I  stated  before,  I  don't  think  I  have  ever  seen  him  at 
all  intoxicated.  I  have  served  with  him  the  greater  portion  of 
the  time  since  I  made  his  acquaintance. 

Major-General  D.  H.  MAURY,  duly  sworn,  commanding  ist 
Division,  Army  of  the  West. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Did  General  Van  Dorn  have  a  map  or 
maps  in  his  possession  on  the  march  to  Corinth  ?  was  it  a  proper 
map  for  military  purposes  ? 

Answer. — I  saw  at  Ripley  in  General  Van  Dorn's  possession, 
two  maps,  I  think  of  the  region  of  country  embracing  Corinth, 
and  the  roads  and  approaches  and  watercourses,  which  had  ref- 
erence to  our  military  operations,  proposed  and  present ;  one  of 
these  maps  was  the  most  minute  and  detailed  map  I  have  ever 
seen.  It  was  prepared  by  Federal  officers,  and  I  understand  it 
was  taken  from  the  enemy  at  luka.  The  other  map  was  a  care- 
fully and  neatly  prepared  manuscript  map,  which  I  understand 
was  prepared  by  the  Engineer  officers  of  General  Price's  com- 
mand, and  had  reference  to  the  same  region  of  country ;  these  are 
all  the  maps  of  which  I  have  any  knowledge,  and  I  saw  them  at 
Ripley,  previous  to  our  advance  on  Corinth,  in  his  possession. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Where  did  you  encamp  when  you  came 
with  the  Army  of  the  West  to  Corinth,  last  spring?  Did  General 
Van  Dorn  then  have  an  opportunity  of  becoming  personally  ac- 
quainted with  the  ground  on  which  the  attack  was  made? 

Answer. — General  Van  Dorn's  headquarters  were  first  estab- 
lished between  the  Charleston  and  Memphis  Railroad  and  the 
Mobile  and  Ohio  Railroad,  north  of  the  Charleston  and  Memphis 
Railroad,  and  west  of  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  Railroad,  and  within 
two  hundred  paces  of  where  he  made  his  headquarters  late  in 
the  evening  of  Friday,  October  3d.  His  headquarters  were  there 
I  think  about  a  week,  and  during  that  time  General  Van  Dorn  was 
much  occupied  in  making  himself  acquainted  with  the  locality  and 
with  the  approaches  and  defenses  of  Corinth.  The  road  by  which 
I  went  to  Corinth  on  the  morning  of  the  4th,  with  a  portion  of 
my  troops,  was  laid  out  and  cut  out  in  April  last,  under  the  per- 
sonal superintendence  of  General  Van  Dorn. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Were  your  troops  marched  in  a  hasty 
or  disorderly  manner,  on  the  advance  to  Corinth  ? 


Corinth. 

Answer. — No.  I  think  we  marched  about  ten  or  twelve  miles 
a  day,  and  there  was  no  more  haste,  and  perhaps  better  order  than 
was  usual  in  my  Division  in  marches. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Was  it  obvious  to  your  mind  that  the 
attack  should  have  been  continued  Friday  aftenroon,  or  that  suc- 
cess was  prevented  by  waiting  until  next  morning? 

Answer.— I  did  not  think  the  attack  should  have  been  continued 
any  longer  than  it  was  Friday  afternoon,  nor  did  I  think  that  suc- 
cess was  prevented  by  waiting  until  next  morning. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Could  General  Van  Dorn  have  pre- 
vented the  enemy  reinforcing  himself  the  night  of  the  3d? 

Answer. — So  far  as  I  understood  his  resources  for  so  doing,  I 
don't  think  he  could. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Could  you  tell  by  the  noise  of  the 
wagons  and  artillery  carriages  whether  the  enemy  was  reinforcing 
or  evacuating? 

Answer. — No,  I  could  not.  I  heard  a  confused  rumbling  of 
wheels  in  Corinth  during  the  large  portion  of  the  night. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Do  you  know  that  the  enemy  rein- 
forced at  all  ? 

Answer. — I  do  not. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Are  you  aware  of  any  circuitous  or 
unnecessary  marching  on  the  return  from  Corinth  ? 

Answer. — No,  except  after  we  left  Ripley  and  bivouacked  on  a 
creek  four  miles  from  there.  I  was  ordered  to  move  my  Division 
back  towards  Ripley,  to  support  General  Lovell's  corps,  as  I  under- 
stood, which  was  reported  to  be  threatened  by  an  attack  of  the 
enemy.  The  head  of  the  Division  had  advanced  about  two  miles 
I  think,  not  more  certainly,  when  I  received  orders  to  return  to 
the  place  where  we  had  been  bivouacking.  I  had  no  means  of  de- 
termining whether  the  move  was  necessary  or  unnecessary.  I 
received  orders  and  obeyed  them ;  and  again  the  night  we  crossed 
the  Tippah,  the  Division,  and  I  believe  General  Price's  Corps 
made  a  much  longer  march  than  usual,  in  consequence,  as  I  un- 
derstood at  the  time,  of  a  bridge  having  been  burned  on  our  di- 
rect route  the  night  before.  That  march  was  about  sixteen  or 
eighteen  miles  I  think,  and  we  made  it  on  the  evening  of  the  9th 
of  October. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Were  your  men  starving  at  any  time 
during  the  retreat? 
'3 


194  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

Answer. — No ;  there  was  more  irregularity  in  the  issue  of  sup- 
plies than  at  ordinary  times.  If  the  subordinate  officers  had  at- 
tended to  their  duty,  respecting  issues  of  supplies  and  cooking, 
there  was  no  reason  why  the  men  should  be  suffering  for  sup- 
plies, for  we  had  access  to  our  supply  train,  on  the  6th,  the  day  be- 
fore we  passed  through  Ripley  in  retreat,  and  I  understand  in 
camp  that  evening  that  sufficient  supplies  were  drawn  by  the 
troops ;  I  refer  in  all  this  to  my  own  Division. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Did  your  troops  after  reaching  Lum- 
kin's  mill  suffer  by  reason  of  the  non-issue  of  breadstuffs? 

Answer. — I  don't  think  they  suffered  when  they  first  arrived 
there;  I  remember  reports  being  made  to  me  that  breadstuffs 
were  not  at  hand,  but  I  think  that  a  sufficient  quantity  of  sweet 
potatoes  was  secured  by  the  Commissary  to  meet  their  imme- 
diate wants,  and  in  the  course  of  the  day  the  breadstuffs  were  is- 
sued as  usual. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Have  you  any  knowledge  of  the  al- 
leged facts  in  the  third  specification  of  the  second  charge? 

Answer. — None.  I  do  not  recollect  to  have  heard  of  anything 
of  the  kind,  until  I  heard  that  charges  and  specifications  had  been 
preferred  against  General  Van  Dorn  on  account  of  it.  I  know 
nothing  of  the  charge  or  specification. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Your  Division  was  immediately  in 
front  of  the  town  of  Corinth  ;  how  far  during  the  night  of  the  3d 
were  your  pickets  from  the  enemy's  line  of  sharpshooters  ? 

Answer. — Within  gunshot  I  understood,  probably  not  a  hun- 
dred paces  apart. 

Question  by  Defendant. — In  what  way  could  a  reconnaisance 
of  the  interior  defenses  of  Corinth  have  been  made  on  the  night 
of  the  3d  ? 

Answer. — It  was  not  possible  to  make  one. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Can  you  explain  the  marching  and 
countermarching  of  General  Price's  corps  near  Hickory  Flat, 
about  where  the  Rocky  Ford  road  leaves  the  Holly  Springs  road  ? 

Answer. — General  Price's  army  corps  moved  off  to  the  left  on 
the  Rocky  Ford  road  from  the  Holly  Springs  road  in  order  to  en- 
camp upon  good  water,  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile,  perhaps  a 
mile,  moved  back  next  day  to  get  on  the  Holly  Springs  road. 
On  the  day  we  marched  off  the  road  my  Division  did  not  march 
more  than  five  miles  altogether. 


Corinth.  195 

Question  by  Defendant.  —  State  what  was  the  condition  of  Gen- 
eral Van  Dorn  on  the  battle-fields  of  the  3d,  4th  and  5th,  as  to 
sobriety?  state  your  opportunities  of  judging  and  also  how  long 
you  have  known  General  Van  Dorn,  and  what  were  his  habits  as 
to  sobriety  since  you  have  known  him  ? 

Answer.  —  General  Van  Dorn  was  entirely  free  from  any  per- 
ceptible influence  of  liquor  during  the  whole  of  the  3d,  4th  and 
5th.  I  saw  him  repeatedly  during  all  of  those  days  ;  I  was  con- 
stantly with  him,  that  is  near  him  and  in  communication  with 
him  from  daylight  on  the  morning  of  the  3d,  until  daylight  on  the 
morning  of  the  4th,  and  saw  him  several  times  and  was  with 
him  a  good  deal  on  the  5th.  I  think  I  first  made  his  acquaint- 
ancee  in  Monterey,  in  September,  1846.  Early  in  February  last  I 
joined  his  military  family  as  Chief  of  his  Staff  and  continued  in 
constant  association  with  him  in  that  capacity  until  June,  when 
he  left  this  Army  in  Pineville  to  go  to  Vicksburg,  and  I  feel  sure 
that  he  is  not  unduly  addicted  to  the  use  of  liquor. 

The  Court  adjourned  at  4  o'clock  p.  M.,  to  meet  at  nine  o'clock 
on  the 


Wednesday,  10  o'clock,  Nov.  iqth,  1862. 

The  Court  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 

Present  —  Maj.-Gen.  Sterling  Price,  Maj.-Gen.  D.  H.  Maury, 
Brig.-Gen.  Lloyd  Tilghman,  Capt.  E.  H.  Cummins,  Recorder. 

Major-General  Earl  Van  Dorn. 

Colonel  Robertson,  commanding  35th  Alabama  Regiment,  hav- 
ing been  summoned  as  a  witness  for  the  defense,  was  reported 
absent  on  furlough  of  thirty  days,  by  the  Adjutant  of  his  Reg- 
iment. 

Lieutenant  L.  B.  HUTCHINSON,  ist  Missouri  Regimen^  was 
duly  sworn. 

Question  by  Recorder.  —  Do  you  know  that  any  wounded  sol- 
diers were  detained  one  or  more  nights  at  Water  Valley  ? 

Answer.  —  I  do. 

Question  by  Recorder.  —  Can  you  state  when  this  occurred  ? 

Answer.—  The  Saturday  night  after  we  arrived  at  Holly 
Springs. 

Question  by  Recorder.—  Where  is  Water  Valley? 

Answer.  _  Somewhere  between  Oxford  and  Coffeevillc. 


196  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Were  these  soldiers  from  the  battle- 
field at  or  near  Corinth  ? 

Answer. — Those  I  conversed  with  said  they  were. 

Question  by  Recorder. — How  many  trains  were  there  ? 

Answer. — One  that  I  saw. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Were  their  wounds  undressed? 

Answer. — I  am  not  certain,  but  think  they  were. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Were  they  crowded  in  the  cars,  that  is 
were  they  uncomfortably  crowded? 

Answer. —  I  think  not. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Were  they  without  blankets? 

Answer. — Most  of  them  were. 

Question  by  Recorder. — And  without  nourishment? 

Answer. — They  complained  that  they  had  nothing  to  eat. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Did  they  state  how  long  since  they  had 
food  nourishment? 

Answer. — They  said  they  had  nothing  since  they  left  the  hos- 
pital. I  don't  know  when  that  was. 

Question  by  Recorder.- — Were  they  not  in  charge  of  an  officer? 

Answer. — Captain  Kennedy  and  myself  looked  for  an  officer 
and  could  find  none. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Of  whom  did  you  inquire  for  an  offi- 
cer? 

Answer. — We  inquired  of  the  wounded  men  themselves,  and 
one  or  two  railroad  men,  who  replied  that  they  knew  of  no  one 
being  in  charge. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Was  there  any  nurse  or  any  other  at- 
tendant with  them,  or  a  surgeon? 

Answer. — None  that  we  could  find. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Did  you  ascertain  who  ordered  them 
in  the  cars?  Did  you  inquire? 

Answer. — I  did  not  ascertain.  Something  was  said  about  their 
having  been  put  aboard  at  Holly  Spring. 

CROSS  EXAMINATION. 

Questions  by  Defendant. — (i.)  How  came  you  to  be  at  Water 
Valley? 

(2.)  Do  you  know  by  whose  orders  the  wounded  were  sent  to 
the  cars  ? 


Corinth. 


197 


(3.)  Where  was  General  Van  Dorn  when  the  wounded  left 
Holly  Springs? 

(4.)  Do  you  know  that  no  one  was  in  charge  of  the  wounded 
soldiers  referred  to? 

(5.)   By  whose  orders  did  they  continue  on  the  route  next  day? 

Answers. — (i.)  I  was  on  my  way  to  Coffeeville  with  my 
brother,  who  was  sick,  taking  him  to  Coffeeville  under  orders 
from  General  Bowen. 

(2.)   No,  I  do  not. 

(3.)  I  do  not  know. 

(4.)  Only  from  what  I  heard  from  them  and  other  men. 

(5.)  I  do  not  know.  I  only  know  the  train  passed  Coffeeville 
the  next  morning. 

Questions  by  Defendant. — (i.)  How  many  cars  were  there? 

(2.)  Did  you  go  through  all  of  them  to  find  an  officer? 

(3.)  What  time  of  night  was  it  that  you  hunted  or  inquired 
for  an  officer? 

(4.)  Were  persons  asleep  in  the  cars  at  that  time? 

Answers. — (i.)  I  do  not  know  how  many  cars  were  in  the 
train. 

(2.)   No,  I  did  not  go  through  all;  I  went  through  about  five. 

(3.)   Some  time  between  ten  and  eleven  o'clock. 

(4.)   I  saw  no  one  asleep. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Did  you  inquire  of  the  conductor  of 
the  train  whether  there  was  an  officer  in  charge  of  the  wounded  ? 

Answer. — I  could  not  find  the  conductor. 

Question  by  Defendant. — At  what  hour  did  the  train  start 
/rom  Holly  Springs? 

Answer. — I  do  not  know ;  it  was  ahead  of  us,  and  we  started  at 
efght  in  the  evening. 

Question  by  the  Court. — Did  you  examine  the  wounds  to  see 
if  they  were  dressed  or  not? 

Answer. — I  examined  one  man's  wound  (he  was  wounded 
in  both  legs),  that  had  not  been  dressed. 

General  RUST  was  recalled  for  the  prosecution. 

Question  by  Recorder. — State  any  additional  particulars  bear- 
ing on,  or  corroborative  of,  vo'ir  evidence. 

Answer. — I  wish  my  testimony  in  regard  to  the  wounded  to 
refer  to  their  condition  up  to  the  time  of  their  leaving  Holly 


198  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

Springs,  having  heard  and  knowing  nothing  of  their  treatment 
after  leaving  Holly  Springs.  With  regard  to  the  subsistence  wi.h 
which  I  was  supplied  on  the  retreat  at  Mr.  Cooper's,  the  second 
camping  place  this  side  of  Ripley,  I  was  applied  to  by  the  Commis- 
sary of  General  Villepigue,  first  for  rations  or  subsistence.  I  re- 
plied, I  would  divide  so  long  as  I  could  do  so  without  disfurnish- 
ing  my  twon  troops.  Whereupon  the  Commissary  loaned  General 
Villepigue  nine  head  of  beef  cattle,  ten  sacks  of  meal,  three  barrels 
of  flour,  and  thirty-one  pounds  of  salt.  At  the  same  place  loaned 
to  General  Bowen  eleven  barrels  of  flour,  one  hundred  pounds  of 
salt,  and  calling  upon  my  Commissary  for  information  upon  these 
points,  he  exhibited  the  receipts  for  those  articles. 

Colonel  ROBERT  LOURY,  6th  Mississippi,  sworn. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Were  your  supplies  of  commissary 
stores  insufficient  when  you  marched  to  Corinth,  or  on  the  retreat  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  they  were  insufficient.  On  our  arrival  at  Cor- 
inth at  the  close  of  the  first  day's  fight,  our  commissary  stores  were 
exhausted,  and  on  the  retreat  we  had  a  very  limited  supply,  and  a 
portion  of  the  time  we  were  without  any.  I  remember  that  at  one 
time  beef  was  given  to  me  without  any  bread  or  salt,  and  I  did 
not  kill  it ;  after  consultation  with  my  men  I  drove  it  on. 

Question  by  Recorder. — On  your  march  to  Corinth  were  your 
troops  marched  in  a  hasty  or  disorderly  manner  ? 

Answer. — No;  they  were  marched  as  troops  would  generally  be. 
There  was  no  disorder  in  our  Division. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Are  you  aware  of  any  circuitous  or  un- 
necessary marching  on  the  return  from  Corinth  ? 

Answer. — I  think  there  was  some  unnecessary  marching.  We 
went  considerably  out  of  the  way  on  this  side  of  Ripley.  My 
brother,  who  was  with  me,  and  who  was  acquainted  with  the  coun- 
try, called  my  attention  to  the  fact  that  several  miles  might  have 
been  saved.  I  do  not  remember  any  other  instance. 

Question  by  Recorder. — After  encamping  near  Holly  Springs, 
did  your  troops  suffer  by  reason  of  the  non-issue  of  breadstuffs  ? 

Answer. — After  getting  encamped  at  Cold  Water,  a  few  miles 
from  Holly  Springs,  we  were  without  rations,  I  think  for  two 
days.  We  then  had  for  one  day,  I  think,  bread,  and  the  next  meat. 
I  do  not  remember  which  we  got  first,  but  we  did  not  have  both 
together.  During  this  time  I  sent  out  my  wagons  and  purchased 


Corinth. 

some  forty  or  fifty  bushels  of  potatoes,  which  the  officers  pur- 
chased themselves.  I  think  afterwards  this  was  done  again,  and 
the  men  were  thus  subsisted.  I  made  several  appeals  to  the  'Gen- 
eral commanding  my  Brigade.  I  may  be  incorrect  as  to  the  time. 
There  may  be  some  slight  inaccuracy,  but  very  little. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Do  you  know  that  any  wounded  soldiers 
were  detained  one  or  more  nights  at  Water  Valley  ? 

Answer. — I  do  not. 

CROSS  EXAMINED. 

Question  by  Defendant. — You  say  at  the  close  of  the  first  day's 
fight  at  Corinth,  your  commissary  stores  gave  out.  Where  were 
the  commissary  stores  at  that  time?  Were  you  ordered  at  Da- 
vis' Bridge  to  cook  rations  for  three  days  ? 

Answers. — (i.)   I  am  not  able  to  say. 

(2.)  That  is  my  recollection. 

Question  by  Defendant. — How  many  days'  rations  did  your 
regiment  have  when  you  started  from  Ripley? 

Answer. — I  do  not  recollect. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Why  did  your  troops  have  no  pro- 
visions when  the  attack  was  made  on  Corinth? 

Answer. — We  had  rations  until  the  close  of  the  first  day's  fight. 
I  am  not  prepared  to  say. 

Question  by  Defendant. — You  say  on  the  retreat  that  some 
miles  might  have  been  saved.  Do  you  know  why  the  Brigade 
or  Division  to  which  you  belong  was  marched  on  the  road  you 
did  take? 

Answer. — I  do  not  know  the  reason;  we  were  ordered  on  that 
road. 

Captain  L.  H.  KENNEDY,  First  Missouri  regiment,  was  duly 
sworn. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Do  you  know  that  any  wounded  sol- 
diers were  detained  one  or  more  nights  at  Water  Valley? 

Answer. — Yes. 

Question  by  Recorder. — When  and  how  long  were  they  de- 
tained ? 

Ansiver. — A  day  or  two  after  the  arrival  oHhe  army  at  Holly 
Springs ;  they  were  detained  from  about  ten  o'clock  at  night  un- 


.200  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

til  about  eight  o'clock  next  morning,  at  which  time  we  passed 
Coffeeville. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Were  their  wounds  undressed? 

Answer. — I  cannot  say. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Were  they  without  blankets? 

Answer. — Many  of  them  were. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Were  they  crowded  on  the  cars? 

Ansiver. — They  were  crowded,  but  not  uncomfortably  crowded. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Were  they  without  food  or  nourish- 
ment? 

Answer. — Several  of  them  informed  me  that  they  were  without 
provisions. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Where  were  they  going? 

Answer. — They  did  not  know.  I  endeavored  to  ascertain  that 
fact,  but  no  one  could  tell  me. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Was  there  no  surgeon,  officer,  nurse, 
or  attendant  with  them? 

Answer. — They  so  stated  to  me ;  the  wounded  men  so  stated. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Do  you  know  by  whose  order  they 
were  placed  upon  the  train? 

Answer. — I  do  not. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Do  you  know  why  they  were  detained, 
or  by  whose  order? 

Answer. — I  was  informed  by  the  wounded  men  that  the  con- 
ductor refused  to  go  any  farther  that  night. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Did  you  inquire  of  the  conductor  why 
he  did  not  go  on? 

Answer. — I  did  not ;  I  went  to  look  for  him  but  could  not  find 
him. 

The  testimony  for  the  prosecution  closed. 

TESTIMONY  FOR  THE  DEFENSE. 

Major-General  STERLING  PRICE  called. 

Question  by  Defendant. — (i.)  If  Corinth  had  been  carried  do 
you  think  that  the  present  base  of  operations  of  the  enemy 
would  be  theirs  or  ours? 

(2.)  Would  the  fall  of  Corinth  have  tended  to  the  result  of 
freeing  West  Tennessee  from  the  occupation  of  the  enemy? 


Corinth.  201 

'Answer. — (i.)  I  do  not  entertain  a  doubt  but  that  it  would 
have  been  ours. 

(2.)   I  think  it  would  for  the  time  being. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Assuming  that  General  Bragg,  with 
a  force  inferior  to  the  enemy  in  his  front,  should  be  compelled 
to  fall  back  into  Tennessee,  the  west  part  of  which  being  then  in 
the  occupation  of  the  enemy,  with  a  garrison  at  Nashville  (small), 
in  Middle  Tennessee,  if  Corinth  had  been  carried  do  you  think  the 
situation  of  affairs  would  have  enabled  the  armies  of  General 
Bragg  and  this  to  have  united  or  cooperated  in  such  a  way  as 
to  have  held  the  State  of  Tennessee  at  least  for  several  months  ? 

Answer. — I  think  it  more  than  likely  that  it  would  have  en- 
abled us  to  have  held  Tennessee. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Pointing  to  the  present  base  of  oper- 
ations of  the  enemy,  with  the  Mississippi  River  to  Memphis,  the 
Tennessee  River  to  Florence,  the  Railroad  to  Corinth,  the  Rail- 
road to  Grand  Junction,  and  the  Railroad  from  Memphis  to  Cor- 
inth and  Florence,  and  the  advantage  of  such  a  base  to  them, 
do  you  thing  the  advantages  that  would  have  been  given  to  our 
cause  by  the  taking  of  Corinth  warranted  more  than  the  usual 
hazard  of  battle? 

Answer. — Yes,  I  think  it  warranted  more  than  the  usual  hazard 
of  battle,  yet  I  was  of  the  opinion  that  the  hazard  would  have 
been  much  less  to  have  delayed  the  attack  a  few  days,  and  to 
have  received  the  reinforcements  which  I  supposed  to  be  then 
being  fitted  out  at  Jackson. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Was  there,  when  we  formed  our 
junction  at  Ripley,  any  certainty  as  to  when  the  returned  pris- 
oners would  be  ready  to  take  the  field?  I  allude  to  those  then 
being  fitted  at  Jackson. 

Anszver. I  do  not  know  that  there  was  any  certainty  as  to  the 

precise  time  they  would  reach  us,  but  I  understand  from  General 
Van  Dorn  that  he  ordered  that  the  troops  should  be  forwarded  as 
rapidly  as  they  could  be  organized  into  regiments,  and  I  know 
that  arms  had  been  furnished  them,  hence  I  could  not  see  any 
good  reason  for  much  delay. 

Question  by  Defendant.— What  number  of  returned  prisoners 
did  this  army  receive,  and  when  were  they  received,  and  when, 
were  they  ready  for  the  field? 

Answer.— I  do  not  know  exactly;  I  think  between  7,000  and 


2O2  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

8,000.  I  know  that  I  had  furnished  over  8,000  arms  for  them 
myself,  or  that  my  ordnance  officer  so  reported  to  me.  I  think 
it  was  the  impression  of  General  Van  Dorn  at  the  time,  that  with 
Waul's  Legion,  together  with  the  returned  prisoners,  he  would 
receive  between  12,000  and  15,000.  I  do  not  know,  but  I  think 
the  army  found  them  at  Holly  Springs  on  our  return  from  Cor- 
inth. I  do  not  know  when  they  were  organized,  but  in  an  emer- 
gency I  should  have  considered  them  ready  for  the  field  when 
they  got  guns  in  their  hands.  I  presume  they  were  organized 
into  regiments  before  they  got  to  Holly  Springs.  I  do  not  know 
what  were  their  means  of  transportation. 

Question  by  Defendant. — In  favoring  the  policy  of  delay  for  a 
time  before  making  the  attack  on  Corinth,  did  you  suppose  the 
enemy  would  be  less  reinforced  or  strengthened  in  the  interval 
than  we? 

Answer. — I  was  of  that  opinion. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Did  you  hear  from  any  source  that 
the  enemy  were  strengthening  their  works,  or  that  they  were 
getting  accessions  to  their  ranks? 

Answer. — I  learned  from  scouts  that  they  had  been  a  short 
time  previous  strengthening  their  works,  and  that  they  had  been 
sending  off  their  old  and  drilled  troops  and  receiving  new  levies 
in  their  stead.  The  receiving  of  new  troops  and  sending  off  the 
old  ones,  I  did  not  believe  after  my  march  upon  luka,  but  that 
the  scouts  had  been  deceived  by  the  frequent  movements  of  their 
troops  from  point  to  point  in  the  vicinity  of  Corinth. 

Question  by  Def end-ant. — When  you  heard  of  the  doubtful  po- 
sition of  Bragg  in  Kentucky,  or  rather  the  uncertainty  of  his 
being  able  to  hold  Kentucky  on  account  of  the  great  numbers  of 
the  enemy  in  his  front,  were  you  impressed  with  the  importance 
of  this  army  doing  something  immediately  to  aid  him? 

Answer. — I  thought  it  important  that  we  should,  as  soon  as 
we  could  with  safety  to  our  army,  move  forward  through  West 
Tennessee  and  reinforce  General  Bragg,  and  that  we  should  be 
watchful  that  the  enemy  were  not  reinforced  by  the  command 
of  Rosecrans. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Was  the  attack  on  Corinth  a  subject 
of  correspondence  between  yourself  and  General  Van  Dorn  before 
we  met  at  Ripley?  If  so,  how  long  before? 

Answer. — It  was  a  subject  of  correspondence  between  us  some 


Corinth.  203 

several  weeks  before  our  junction  at  Ripley.    I  do  not  recollect 
the  precise  length  of  time. 

Question  by  Defendant.— Was  the  army  (as  far  as  you  saw 
them)  in  fine  spirits  on  the  evening  of  the  3d  October  at  Corinth? 

Answer. — Yes. 

Question  by  Defendant. — If  Corinth  had  been  carried,  and  in 
consequence  West  Tennessee  freed,  would  not  the  efforts  of  the 
enemy  to  dislodge  our  army  have  prolonged  the  contest  until 
late  in  the  season,  when  military  movements  are  difficult? 

Answer. — I  have  no  doubt  of  it. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  know  of  any  opposition 
among  the  officers  of  your  corps  to  attack  Corinth? 

Answer. — None  had  expressed  themselves  opposed  to  it  to 
me. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  know  of  any  neglect  on  the 
part  of  General  Van  Dorn  to  perform  the  duties  devolving  upon 
him  as  commander  of  the  army  in  the  expedition  to  Corinth,  and 
on  the  retreat  ? 

Answer. — I  do  not.  I  think  he  displayed  great  energy  and 
activity. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  know  whether  or  not  General 
Bragg  had  been  deceived  as  to  the  strength  of  the  enemy  in  West 
Tennessee,  or  that  he  had  calculated  upon  this  army  joining  him 
in  Kentucky,  or  of  cooperating  with  him  from  West  Ten- 
nessee ? 

Answer. — Judging  from  his  telegraphic  despatches  and  let- 
ters which  I  have  received  from  him,  he  must  have  been  greatly 
deceived  as  regards  the  strength  of  the  enemy  in  North  Missis- 
sippi and  West  Tennessee,  and  that  he  expected  a  movement  of 
my  troops  earlier  than  my  movement  on  luka.  One  of  his  tele- 
graphic despatches  stated  that  Rosecrans  had  arrived  at  Nashville 
with  a  large  portion  of  his  forces,  and  was  in  a  council  of  war  on 
a  few  evenings  prior  to  his  sending  the  despatch,  and  that  des- 
patch I  received  at  luka  about  the  time  I  was  fighting  Rosecrans 
and  the  whole  of  his  army,  I  think  not  less  than  twenty-eight 
thousand  strong. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Did  the  troops  under  your  command 
carry  the  interior  works  of  Corinth  on  the  morning  of  the  4th, 
and  enter  the  town  of  Corinth  ? 

Answer. — They  did. 


2O4  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

Major-General  D.  H.  MAURY  for  the  defense. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Were  you  chief  of  Staff  of  General 
Van  Dorn  during  the  whole  time  that  the  Army  of  the  West  un- 
der his  command  was  at  Corinth,  before  its  evacuation  by  General 
Beauregard?  If  so,  will  you  state  your  opinion  as  to  General 
Van  Dorn's  knowledge  of  the  country  around  Corinth  topo- 
graphically ? 

Answer. — I  was  chief  of  his  Staff  during  the  whole  of  that 
time,  and  General  Van  Dorn  was  occupied  from  the  time  he  first 
came  to  Corinth  in  April  until  he  left  it  about  the  first  of  June. 
A  great  deal  in  making  himself  acquainted  by  personal  recon- 
naisance,  and  by  maps,  and  by  interrogating  guides  and  scouts, 
and  the  people  who  lived  in  the  vicinity,  with  all  of  the  sur- 
roundings of  Corinth,  bearing  upon  its  military  defense  or  at- 
tack, and  topography.  My  belief  is  and  was,  that  he  was  as  well 
informed  about  the  topography  of  Corinth  and  its  vicinity,  as 
any  other  one  officer  who  was  there.  I  frequently  saw  him  mak- 
ing maps,  and  accompanied  him  in  reconnaisances.  He  made 
many  reconnaisances  upon  which  my  other  duties  did  not  permit 
me  to  accompany  him. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Did  the  troops  of  your  command 
carry  the  interior  works  of  Corinth  and  enter  the  town  of  Corinth 
on  the  4th  October  last? 

Answer. — General  Moore  took  his  brigade  right  into  the  main 
part  of  the  town  of  Corinth,  capturing  a  battery  of  Light  Artil- 
lery near  where  he  crossed  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  Railroad,  tak- 
ing possession  of  the  Tishamingo  Hotel,  and  the  buildings  about 
the  railroad  depot,  and  a  part  of  his  brigade  including  the  Second 
Texas  regiment  led  by  Colonel  Rogers  entered  the  innermost 
works  of  Corinth,  in  which  Colonel  Rogers  and  many  other  offi- 
cers of  the  Division  were  left  killed  or  wounded.  Phifer's  and 
Cabell's  Brigades  entered  the  town  farther  to  the  left  than 
Moore's  did,  and  passed  into  the  innermost  works  of  Corinth,  cap- 
turing them  and  driving  the  enemy  from  their  guns.  Many  of 
the  officers  were  left  dead  and  wounded  on  these  works.  Colonels 
Johnson  and  Daily  of  Arkansas  were  among  them. 

Question  by  Defendant. — You  have  known  General  Van  Dorn 
you  have  said  since  the  army  was  in  the  city  of  Monterey,  in 
Mexico,  in  1846;  do  you  know  or  have  you  ever  heard  of  any- 
thing in  the  character  of  General  Van  Dorn  to  warrant  the  sup- 


Corinth.  205 

position  or  belief  that  he  would  be  cruel  or  inhuman  in  his  treat- 
ment to  the  soldiers  under  his  command? 

Ansiver. — On  the  contrary;  I  do  not  believe  from  all  I  have 
heard  of  General  Van  Dorn  or  known  of  him,  that  he  could  be 
capable  of  cruelty  or  inhumanity,  or  intentional  injustice  to  any 
one. 

Major  EDWARD  DILLEN,  Chief  Commissary  of  the  Army  of 
West  Tennessee,  commanded  by  General  Van  Dorn,  was  duly 
sworn. 

Question  by  Defendant. — What  supplies  were  carried  by  the 
troops  from  Davis'  mills,  near  Grand  Junction,  when  they 
marched  to  Ripley  en  route  to  Corinth? 

Answer. — Fifteen  days'  supplies  were  taken  from  Davis'  mills. 

Question  by  Defendant. — What  dispositions  were  made  at  Rip- 
ley  to  supply  the  army  with  rations  after  the  fifteen  days'  rations 
should  be  exhausted? 

Answer. — On  the  28th  September,  I  think  the  day  before  we 
left  Ripley,  General  Van  Dorn  directed  me  to  order  400,000  ra- 
tions of  breadstuff's  and  salt,  and  92,000  rations  of  salt  meat,  to 
be  forwarded  from  Holly  Springs  immediately,  there  being  al- 
ready a  sufficient  quantity,  say  1,000  head  of  beef  cattle,  within 
reach  of  the  army.  On  the  morning  that  we  left  Ripley,  a  num- 
ber of  wagons,  I  think  seventy-four  or  seventy-five,  were  sent  to 
Holly  Springs  to  transport  these  rations,  provided  the  Commis- 
sary at  Holly  Springs  did  not  send  them  by  hired  wagons,  which 
he  was-  directed  to  do,  when  he  received  the  order  to  forward 
these  rations,  and  those  other  wagons  were  sent  in  order  to  pre- 
vent the  possibility  of  failure. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Can  you  state  when  the  rations  of  the 
two  corps  of  the  army  should  have  been  exhausted  ? 

Answer. — The  rations  of  General  Lovell's  army  corps  should 
have  been  exhausted  on  the  Qth  October.  Those  of  General 
Price's  army  corps  on  the  3d  or  4th  October  (the  4th  I  think), 
exclusive  of  the  rations  that  had  been  sent  for. 

Question  by  Defendant. — When  the  time  arrived  was  the  army 
resupplied  with  rations,  and  if  so,  to  what  period? 

Answer. — When  the  army  arrived  at  Tuscumbia  bridge  on  its 
retreat  from  Corinth,  some  of  the  Brigades  of  General  Price's 
army  corps  drew  from  a  train  which  we  met  there,  for  two  days' 


?o6  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

rations.  On  the  7th  and  8th  October,  three  days'  rations  of 
breadstuffs  and  of  salt  and  beef  were  issued  to  the  whole  army, 
except  General  Bowen's  command,  which  was  already  rationed 
to  include  the  9th.  He  did  not  call  for  any.  The  rations  were 
there.  He  could  have  had  them  if  he  needed  them.  This  was  at 
Ripley. 

Question  by  Defendant. — If  Corinth  had  been  carried  how 
long  would  it  have  taken  to  bring  up  rations  from  the  depot  on 
the  Mobile  and  Ohio  Railroad? 

Answer. — About   three   days. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Would  the  rations  from  Holly 
Springs  have  arrived  in  time  to  supply  the  army  at  Corinth  until 
the  rations  from  the  depot  could  be  brought  up? 

Answer. — Yes,  I  think  they  would.  I  think  that  the  trains  we 
met  at  Ripley  on  the  8th  would  have  been  in  Corinth  on  the  5th 
or  6th  October  had  they  not  been  turned  back  through  fear  of 
the  enemy  then  advancing  towards  Davis'  bridge. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Will  you  state  what  orders  were 
given  to  supply  the  army  with  subsistence  upon  its  arrival  at 
Holly  Springs  after  the  repulse  at  Corinth? 

Answer. — While  at  Ripley  on  our  return  from  Corinth,  the 
Commissary  at  Jackson  was  directed  to  send  100,000  rations  to 
Oxford  and  100,000  to  Holly  Springs,  a  portion  of  the  latter 
were  at  Holly  Springs  when  the  army  arrived  there ;  and  50,000 
rations  were  at  Oxford  several  days  before  the  army  arrived  at 
Holly  Springs,  but  did  not  reach  Holly  Springs  for  several  days 
in  consequence  of  want  of  railroad  transportation. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  know  why  these  arrange- 
ments in  regard  to  breadstuffs  failed  for  a  few  days? 

Answer. — I  don't  think  there  was  any  failure,  that  is,  I  think 
the  army  was  supplied  with  rations  after  arriving  at  Holly 
Springs,  and  from  24th  September  to  I5th  October,  nearly 
100,000  rations  more  were  issued  by  me,  than  they  were  entitled 
to  for  this  time.  I  mean  transferred  in  bulk  to  Brigade  Commis- 
saries. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Can  you  exhibit  returns  to  show  this  ? 

Answer. — I  can  exhibit  returns  and  receipts  of  Brigade  Com- 
missaries. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Upon  your  arrival  at  Holly  Springs 
what  arrangements  were  made  in  the  neighborhood  for  supplying 


Corinth.  207 

the  army  with  breadstuffs,  and  were  those  arrangementa  made 
by  my  orders? 

Answer. — I  was  directed  by  General  Van  Dorn  to  employ 
every  mill  in  the  neighborhood  and  make  every  exertion  to  pro- 
cure fifteen  days'  rations  for  the  army  as  quickly  as  possible.  For 
a  few  days,  I  was  only  able  to  get  enough  to  supply  the  daily 
consumption  of  the  army,  and  in  the  course  of  a  week  or  ten 
days  to  get  three  or  four  days  in  advance,  but  the  milling 
capacity  in  that  neighborhood  was  insufficient  to  do  more  than 
this. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Did  General  Van  Dorn  upon  his  re- 
turn to  Holly  Springs  use  all  his  authority  in  attempting  to  get 
up  from  the  depots  below,  rations  for  the  troops  of  his  com- 
mand? 

Answer. — He  did,  and  did  supply  the  daily  consumption  of  the 
army;  but  arrangements  to  accumulate  a  stock  were  broken  into 
by  General  Pemberton,  who  took  command  in  the  meanwhile,  and 
made  his  own  arrangements,  which  were  sufficient. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Did  you  attempt  to  make  a  recon- 
naisance  of  the  enemy's  position  at  Corinth  on  the  night  of  the  3d 
October  last,  by  my  orders?  if  so,  how  far  did  you  go  until  you 
met  with  the  enemy's  line  of  sharpshooters  ? 

Answer. — I  did.  I  went  within  forty  or  fifty  yards  of  the 
enemy's  sharpshooters,  near  enough  to  see  three  of  them  dis- 
tinctly. These  men  were  about  one  hundred  yards  in  front  of 
General  Moore's  pickets,  and  near  enough  to  Corinth  for  me  to 
hear  distinctly  commands  given  by  the  enemy  in  the  town,  and 
to  hear  the  rattling  of  wagons,  the  sound  of  axes,  and  the  hum 
of  voices  about  the  town. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  know  whether  or  not  General 
Van  Dorn  was  acquainted  with  the  country  in  the  vicinity  of 
Corinth  ? 

Answer. — Yes.  I  believe  he  was  very  familiar  with  it.  The 
spot  on  which  he  slept  on  Friday  night,  October  3d,  was  within 
fifty  yards  of  where  he  had  his  headquarters  when  he  went 
to  Corinth  last  spring  with  the  Army  of  the  West,  and  I 
have  ridden  with  him  on  several  occasions  to  reconnoiter  that 
country. 

The  Court  adjourned  at  4:30  P.  M.,  to  meet  at  nine  o  clock 
A.  Mv  on  the  20th  inst. 


208  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

Thursday,  November  2oth}  1862. 

The  Court  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 

Present — Ma j. -Gen.  Sterling  Price,  P.  A.  C.  S.,  Ma j. -Gen. 
D.  H.  Maury,  P.  A.  C.  S.,  Brig.-Gen.  Lloyd  Tilghman,  P.  A.  C.  S., 
Capt.  E.  H.  Cummins,  Recorder,  and  Maj.-Gen.  Earl  Van  Dorn. 

The  reading  of  the  proceedings  was  waived  by  the  court. 

Lieutenant  THOMAS  F.  TOBIN,  of  Hoxton's  battery,  was  duly 
sworn. 

Question  by  Defendant. — (ist.)  Were  you  engaged  in  the 
battle  of  Corinth?  (2d.)  If  so,  in  what  capacity,  and  in  what 
division  and  corps? 

Answer. — I  was.  I  was  commanding  a  battery  in  the  artillery 
reserve  of  General  Maury 's  division,  commanded  by  Major  Bur- 
nett, in  General  Price's  corps. 

Question  by  Defendant. — (ist.)Were  you  taken  prisoner  by 
the  enemy?  (2d.)  If  so,  state  on  what  day  and  hour,  and  (3d.) 
where  were  you  taken?  (4th.)  Where  were  you  ordered  to  re- 
port? (5th.)  By  whom,  and  (6th.)  to  whom? 

Answer. — (ist.)  I  was.  (2d.)  On  Saturday,  October  4th,, 
about  four  o'clock  in  the  morning.  (3d.)  On  the  road  that  leads 
between  Fort  Williams  and  Fort  Robinett.  (4th.)  I  was  ordered 
by  General  Stanley  to  report  at  some  landing  on  the  Tennessee 
River.  I  think  it  was  Hamburg  landing — to  General  Rosecrans, 
at  sunset  that  evening. 

Question  by  Defendant. — (ist.)  How  far  from  Corinth  was 
the  point  at  which  you  were  taken  prisoner,  and  (2d.)  under 
what  circumstances  were  you  taken? 

Answer. — (ist.)  Not  over  three-fourths  of  a  mile  from  the 
depot.  (2d.)  I  was  ordered  by  Major  Burnett  to  follow  him  on 
the  straight  road,  which  I  did.  As  I  came  across  our  line  of  in- 
fantry to  the  crest  of  the  hill,  I  halted  my  battery,  and  with  my 
bugler  advanced  about  thirty  yards,  when  I  was  taken  by  a  com- 
pany, I  suppose,  of  sharps,  which  were  in  advance  of  the  enemy's 
line,  as  well  as  I  could  judge. 

Question  by  Defendant. — (ist.)  After  you  were  taken  pris- 
oner, state,  if  you  know,  if  any  portion  of  our  army  carried  the 
interior  works  around  Corinth?  (2d.)  and  what  troops,  if  you 
knew  them?  and  also  (3d.)  state  whether  they  entered  the  town, 
and  (4th.)  how  far  into  it  they  penetrated? 


Corinth.  209 

Answer. — (ist.)  Yes.  (2d.)  General  Maury's  division — 
nearly  all  of  it  I  think,  and  the  first  brigade  of  General  Greene's 
division,  commanded  by  Colonel  Gates,  carried  everything  before 
them;  and  (3d.)  came  into  Corinth  driving  the  enemy  across  the 
high  bridge  over  the  Memphis  and  Charleston  Railroad,  and  be- 
yond General  Folk's  old  headquarters,  which  was  outside  of  the 
town.  The  artillery  of  the  enemy  went  out  as  far  as  General 
Price's  old  headquarters.  Our  troops  (4th.)  penetrated  to  the 
Corinth  House  and  the  Tishemingo  House,  and  to  the  square  in 
front  of  General  Bragg's  old  headquarters,  and  into  the  yard  of 
General  Rosecrans'  headquarters. 

Question  by  Defendant. — State,  if  you  know,  and  give  the 
source  of  your  knowledge  when  the  enemy  were  first  apprised  of 
the  fact  that  our  army  was  moving  on  Corinth? 

Answer. — I  know  nothing  of  my  own  knowledge — only  from 
hearsay. 

Question  by  Defendant. — State  any  fact  in  your  knowledge 
tending  to  show  that  the  enemy  anticipated  a  defeat  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  4th  ? 

Answer. — I  judge  that  they  expected  a  defeat  from  their  hav- 
ing sent  all  their  wagons  to  the  rear,  some  of  which  did  not  get 
back  until  Wednesday.  They  had  no  ordnance  whatever,  ex- 
cept what  they  had  in  the  limbers  and  caissons  of  their  pieces ;  so 
I  was  told;  and  from  this  fact  I  was  ordered  to  report  at  the  Ten- 
nessee "River. 

Question  by  Defendant. — What  was  the  force  of  the  enemy  as 
near  as  you  could  judge,  at  Corinth  on  the  morning  on  the  4th, 
while  you  were  a  prisoner  there? 

Answer. — As  near  as  I  could  judge  not  over  twenty  thousand 
men. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  know  whether  the  enemy  had 
been  working  on,  or  putting  up  any  new  fortifications  just  pre- 
vious to  the  attack  on  Corinth? 

Answer. — Yes  they  had,  for  Forts  Williams  and  Robinett  were 
not  complete. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Was  it  within  or  beyond  the  abatis 
you  were  taken? 

Answer. — On  the  edge  of  the  abatis. 

Dr.  MONTROSE  A.  FALLEN,  Medical  Director  of  the  Army  of 


2io  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

West  Tennessee,  commanded  by  Major-General  Earl  Van  Dorn, 
duly  sworn. 

Question  by  Defendant. — (ist.)  Were  you  medical  director  of 
the  Army  of  West  Tennessee  at  the  battle  of  Corinth;  (2d.)  and 
were  you  near  the  person  of  General  Van  Dorn  during  the  opera- 
tions against  Corinth?  (3d.)  If  so,  state  if  General  Van  Dorn 
showed  by  his  directions  and  orders,  in  regard  to  the  wounded, 
any  disregard  of  their  comforts  and  negligence  of  their  safety 
and  welfare? 

Answer. — (ist.)  I  was.  (2d.)  I  was  near.  (3d.)  General  Van 
Dorn  always  manifested  the  greatest  desire  to  promote  the  safety 
and  welfare  of  our  wounded,  and  gave  me  all  the  necessary  orders 
to  promote  their  welfare,  and  all  facilities  to  give  them  all  the 
comforts  practicable.  His  orders  were  that  the  wounded  and 
sick  be  cared  for,  and  instructed  me  to  use  all  the  appliances  with- 
in my  power. 

Question  by  Defendant. — (ist.)  Were  you  left  .at  or  near 
Hatohie  Bridge  by  order  of  General  Van  Dorn,  when  the  army 
retreated  from  Corinth,  to  look  after  the  comfort  and  welfare  of 
our  wounded  left  there? 

Answer. — I  was,  with  instructions  to  use  every  endeavor  in 
my  power  to  have  these  men  well  cared  for,  and  other  surgeons 
had  been  detailed  to  remain  and  assist,  who  did  so;  and  the 
wounded  men  received  every  proper  and  possible  attention. 

Question  by  Defendant. — What  orders  had  you  in  regard  to 
sending  the  wounded  from  Holly  Springs  to  hospitals  below  on 
the  railroads? 

Answer. — The  orders  were  to  move  the  wounded  and  sick  as 
rapidly  and  comfortably  as  possible  to  Holly  Springs,  thence  to 
the  various  hospitals  in  the  rear,  on  the  railroad,  and  to  obtain 
from  Colonel  Orr,  commanding  at  Holly  Springs,  such  facilities 
as  the  town  afforded,  consisting  of  bedding,  mattresses,  subsist- 
ence, stimulants,  and  to  obtain  medical  attendance,  and  nurses  to 
be  sent  to  such  hospitals  as  I  might  select. 


Major  M\  -M.  KIM  MEL,  A.  A.  General  Army  of  West  Tennes- 
see, commanded  by  Major-General  Van  Dorn,  duly  sworn. 

Question  by  Defense. — Are  you  chief  of  staff  at  General  Van 
Dorn's  headquarters ;  if  so,  do  you  know  whether  or  not  the  attack 


Corinth.  211 

on  Corinth  was  a  subject  that  had  engaged  the  consideration  and 
thought  of  General  Van  Dorn  before  he  left  Jackson,  Mississippi  ? 

Answer. — I  am  the  senior  A.  A.  General  on  General  Van 
Dorn's  staff.  I  know  that  the  attack  on  Corinth  was  a  subject 
thought  about  and  spoken  of  by  General  Van  Dorn  frequently, 
as  long  ago  as  August  last,  particularly  after  receiving  communi- 
cations from  Generals  Bragg  and  Price  upon  this  subject.  The 
letter  from  General  Bragg,  which  first  intimated  that  he  (General 
Van  Dorn)  was  to  go  into  the  field,  was  received  in  August. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  know  whether  or  not  General 
Van  Dorn  had  furnished  himself  with  maps  of  the  approaches 
to  Corinth  before  the  attack  was  made? 

Answer. — Yes.  I  knew  that  he  had  maps,  and  that  the  maps 
were  frequently  examined  by  him  in  my  presence. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  know  whether  or  not  General 
Van  Dorn  knew  anything  of  the  defense  of  Corinth  before  the 
attack  ? 

Ansiver. — Besides  the  knowledge  acquired  last  spring  by  Gen- 
eral Van  Dorn  of  the  works  on  the  northwest  side  of  the  town, 
I  know  that  reports  were  made  by  individuals  of  the  works  on  the 
south  side  of  the  Memphis  and  Charleston  Railroad,  and  in  front 
of  our  right  when  we  attacked. 

Question  by  Defendant. — (ist.)  Do  you  know  whether  or  not 
General  Van  Dorn  had  made  himself  acquainted  with  the  roads 
from  Tuscumbia  bridge,  or  Chewalla  to  Holly  Springs,  via  Rip- 
ley  and  Hickory  Flat;  also  by  Bone  Yard  and  Rienzi?  (2d.)  If 
so,  were  orders  given  by  him  to  General  Lovell  to  move  his  di- 
vision from  Ripley  to  Hickory  Flat,  via  Orizava?  ($d.)  And 
was  the  corps  of  General  Price  directed  by  him  to  take  the  direct 
road  to  the  same  point;  and  (4th.)  were  there  other  roads  on 
which  Adams'  cavalry  were  ordered  to  move? 

Answer. —  (ist.)  I  think  so,  most  thoroughly,  as  well  as  they 
could  be  known  without  going  over  the  ground  himself.  (2d.) 
Yes.  (3d.)  Yes.  (4th.)  Yes. 

Question  by  Defendant. — (ist.)  Were  you  continuously  near 
the  person  of  General  Van  Dorn  from  the  time  the  army  left  Rip- 
ley  until  it  returned  to  Holly  Springs?  (2d.)  Do  you  know 
whether  or  not  any  order  was  given  by  General  Van  Dorn  to  any 
portion  of  the  army  to  counter-march,  which  order  was  the  result 
of  the  ignorance  of  the  roads,  and  neglect  of  giving  timely  orders  ? 


212  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

Answer. — (ist.)  I  was  continually  near  the  person  of  General 
Van  Dorn  during  the  whole  time.  (2d.)  No-  such  order  was 
given. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Were  you  absent  from  General  Van 
Dorn  any  length  of  time  from  the  time  the  army  left  Davis'  Mills 
until  it  reached  Corinth,  to  Holly  Springs  ?  If  not,  do  you  know 
whether  or  not  General  Van  Dorn  was,  at  any  time,  intoxi- 
cated ? 

Answer. — I  was  not  absent  from  General  Van  Dorn  any  length 
of  time,  except  once,  and  that  was  about  three  hours,  and  I  did 
not  know  of  his  taking  a  drink  of  liquor  but  once  during  the 
whole  time,  and  that  he  was  in  no  manner  under  the  influence  of 
liquor. 

Colonel  J.  T.  WARD,  Volunteer  Aid  to  General  Van  Dorn's 
staff,  duly  sworn. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Please  state  to  the  Court  how  long 
you  have  known  General  Van  Dorn,  and  under  what  circum- 
stances, and  at  what  places  you  have  been  with  him. 

Answer. — I  have  known  General  Van  Dorn  since  January, 
1857.  He  was  commanding  officer  of  the  military  posts  in  Texas, 
and  in  Indian  Territory.  I  was  sutler.  I  was  also  with  him  in 
an  expedition  north  of  Red  River.  He  had  a  fight  at  the  Wichita 
Village  with  the  Indians.  I  saw  General  Van  Dorn  daily,  from 
'57  to  '61;  since  then  from  April,  '61,  to  July,  '61 ;  from  August, 
'62,  until  the  present  time. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Will  you  please  state  whether  or  not 
General  Van  Dorn  was  addicted  to  drinking,  or  if  he  was,  or  was 
ever  considered  a  drunkard  during  that  time? 

Answer. — No,  he  never  was.  From  July,  1857,  to  December, 
1890,  I  never  saw  General  Van  Dorn  take  a  drink,  not  even  a 
drink  of  wine.  Since  that  time  I  have  seen  him  take  one  or  two 
drinks,  but  never  saw  him  drunk,  or  never  knew  of  his  being 
drunk. 

Question  by  Defendant. — (ist.)  Did  you  move  with  the  army 
on  Corinth?  (2d.)  Were  you  frequently  in  the  presence  of  Gen- 
eral Van  Dorn  on  that  expedition?  (3d.)  Did  you  see  him  on 
the  battle-field  of  Corinth?  (4th.)  If  so,  state  whether  he  was  in- 
toxicated, or  in  any  degree  under  the  influence  of  liquor? 

Answer. — I  moved  with  the  army  on  Corinth;  was  with  Gen- 


Corinth.  213 

eral  Van  Dorn  all  the  time  of  his  move  on  Corinth ;  was  with  him 
on  the  battle-field,  except  when  absent  carrying  orders,  and  know 
that  he  was  not  drunk,  nor  under  the  influence  of  liquor,  either 
on  the  move  to  Corinth  or  on  the  battle-field,  or  on  the  retreat 
from  Corinth. 

JAMES  P.  MAJOR,  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  Artillery,  acting  Chief 
of  Artillery  on  General  Van  Dorn's  staff,  sworn. 

Question  by  Defendant. — State  how  long  you  have  known  Gen- 
eral Van  Dorn,  and  under  what  circumstances,  and  at  what  places 
you  have  been  with  him? 

Answer. — I  have  known  him  since  the  spring  of  '57.  I  have 
known  him  intimately,  and  served  with  him  in  the  old  U.  S. 
Army,  in  the  same  regiment,  and  on  detached  duty  was  imme- 
diately connected  with  him  for  over  a  year,  as  his  Adjutant.  At 
the  breaking  out  of  this  war,  I  was  again  assigned  to  his  command 
in  Texas,  and  was  with  him  about  three  months,  during  which 
time  he  captured  the  Federal  forces  in  Texas,  and  on  the  coast 
of  Texas.  After  the  battle  of  Elk  Horn,  I  again  came  under  his 
command,  and  have  been  connected  with  him  ever  since;  have 
known  him  intimately  from  '57  to  '61.  I  knew  him  on  the 
frontier  of  Texas,  and  in  the  Indian  country.  Since  that  time  in 
various  portions  of  the  Confederacy,  principally  in  the  Valley  of 
the  Mississippi  and  Western  Texas. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Was  General  Van  Dorn  addicted  to 
drinking?  Was  he,  or  was  he  considered  a  drunkard  during  this 
time? 

Answer. — He  was  not  addicted  to  drinking ;  on  the  contrary  he 
was  one  of  the  most  temperate  men  I  ever  saw.  In  my  whole 
intercourse  with  him  in  Texas,  I  never  saw  him  take  a  drink  at 
all,  and  I  have  been  with  him  in  such  places,  at  such  times,  and 
under  such  circumstances,  that  if  ever  a  man  would  take  a  drink 
that  would  be  about  the  time. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Did  you  move  with  the  army  on 
Corinth ;  were  you  frequently  in  the  presence  of  General  Van 
Dorn  on  that  expedition? 

Ansrver. — I  did  move  with  the  army,  and  was  frequently  in  his 
presence. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Did  you  see  him  on  the  battle-field  of 
Corinth  ? 


214  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

Answer. — I  did. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Was  he  intoxicated  or  in  any  degree 
under  the  influence  of  liquor? 
Answer. — He  was  not. 

Brigadier-General  LLOYD  TILGHMAN,  commanding  1st  Divi- 
sion of  General  Lovell's  Army  Corps,  was  duly  sworn. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Can  you  state  with  any  accuracy  the 
period  at  which  the  returned  prisoners  were  exchanged,  their 
number  and  when  received  in  our  army;  also  your  means  of 
knowledge  ? 

Answer. — As  the  officer  placed  in  command  by  the  Secretary 
of  War,  of  exchanged  prisoners,  and  entrusted  with  the  reorgani- 
zation of  all  such  as  were  to  arrive  at  Vicksburg,  more  especially 
those  captured  at  Forts  Henry,  Donelson,  Madrid  Bend  and 
Island  No.  10,  I  proceeded  to  organize  the  same  at  Jackson  on 
their  arrival  there  early  in  September.  There  were  reported  to 
have  arrived  at  Vicksburg  by  Commissioner  Watts,  over  15,000, 
about  3,000  of  whom  were  immediately  sent  to  General  Bragg  and 
the  army  of  Western  Virginia.  A  number  were  discharged  on 
surgeon's  certificates,  and  about  8,000  aggregate  organized  into 
regiments,  battalions  and  companies,  in  accordance  with  special 
instructions  from  General  Bragg.  About  22d  September,  I  was 
authorized  to  announce  as  finally  exchanged  about  2,000.  On  the 
7th  October,  I  was  authorized  to  announce  the  exchange  of  all  de- 
livered up  to  that  date  at  Vicksburg,  or  registered  for  exchange 
at  Vicksburg  as  final  and  complete.  A  part  of  the  2,000  ex- 
changed on  22d  September  were  sent  to  near  Ponchatoula,  by 

order  of  General  Van  Dorn.  About  one  regiment,  about  , 

was  also  sent  to  Port  Hudson.  Though  I  was  urged  frequently 
by  Generals  Van  Dorn  and  Price  to  send  forward  the  troops  al- 
lotted to  their  several  commands  on  the  plea  of  the  urgency  of 
the  case,  I  was  forbidden  to  do  so  by  my  orders  until  the  ex- 
change was  ratified.  So  soon  as  the  announcement  was  made  of 
the  ratification  of  the  exchange,  no  time  was  lost  night  or  day  in 
equipping  and  sending  forward  as  fast  as  railroad  transportation 
could  be  obtained,  every  available  man  of  the  exchanged  prisoners, 
together  with  two  field  batteries  from  Vicksburg,  assigned  to  this 
command.  The  last  of  the  troops  referred  to  did  not  reach  Holly 
Springs  until  about  I4th  October.  The  whole  number  of  troops 


Corinth.  215 

sent  to  Holly  Springs  was  about  7,800  aggregate,  well  equipped 
in  every  respect,  save  transportation,  which  they  were  entirely 
without. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Waiting  for  the  wagons  and  teams  in- 
tended for  this  command  on  the  way  up  from  Jackson,  and  to 
purchase  in  the  vicinity  enough  transportation  for  this  command, 
when  could  it  have  been  put  in  the  field? 

Answer. — With  every  effort  of  Major  Mims,  and  other  quarter- 
masters, including  my  own  division  quartermaster,  by  sending 
agents  far  and  wide  to  procure  wagons,  mules  and  horses,  leav- 
ing nothing  undone  that  active  and  intelligent  agents  could  per- 
form, I  have  not  now  half  the  amount  of  transportation  deemed 
necessary,  with  the  use  of  all  proper  economy  of  baggage  and 
equipage  to  supply  the  wants  of  that  portion  of  the  returned  pris- 
oners under  my  command  (which  embraces  about  five-sevenths 
of  all  sent  to  Holly  Springs)  in  any  movement  independent  of 
the  aid  of  railroad  transportation. 

And  the  Court  adjourned  to  meet  Friday,  November  2 1st,  1862. 

Friday,  November  2ist,  1862. 

The  Court  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 

Present — Ma j -Gen.  Sterling  Price,  P.  A.  C.  S.,  Ma j. -Gen.  D. 
H.  Maury,  P.  A.  C.  S.,  Brig.-Gen.  Lloyd  Tilghman,  P.  A.  C.  S., 
Capt.  E.  H.  Cummins,  P.  A.  C.  S.,  Recorder,  and  Ma  j. -Gen.  Earl 
Van  Dorn,  P.  A.  C.  S. 

Brigadier-General  M.  E.  GREEN  appeared  before  the  Court, 
and  offered  the  following  explanation,  which  was  accepted : 

Explanation  by  General  M.  E.  Green. 

I  wish  to  explain  an  apparent  discrepancy  in  my  evidence,  hav- 
ing said  that  I  saw  no  works  in  front  of  my  position  on  the  eve- 
ning of  the  3d  Octobeer,  but  that  on  going  in  on  the  morning 
of  the  4th,  I  found  fortifications  existing  in  my  front.  I  wish  it 
understood  that  I  did  not  on  the  morning  of  the  4th  advance  over 
the  ground  which  had  been  in  front  of  me  on  the  evening  of  the 
3d.  General  Phifer's  Brigade,  of  Maury's  Division,  had  been  ex- 
tended to  the  left  over  my  position  of  Friday  evening,  and  I  had 
been  moved  farther  to  the  left,  and  nearer  to  the  railroad.  The 


216  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

position  I  occupied  on  Thursday  morning  was  not  in  sight  when 
I  rode  forward  on  Friday  evening. 

Dr.  J.  W.  C.  SMITH,  Surgeon,  P.  A.  C.  S.,  was  duly  sworn. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Were  you  Surgeon  of  the  post  at 
Holly  Springs  when  the  army  returned  to  that  place  from  Corinth 
on  the  9th  and  loth  October  last ;  if  so,  do  you  know  anything  in 
regard  to  the  conveyance  of  the  wounded  on  the  cars  to  hospitals 
below? 

Answer. — I  was.  I  did  superintend  shipping  most  if  not  all 
of  them. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Can  you  state  whether  or  not  the 
wounded  were  properly  provided?  whether  an  officer  and  at- 
tendant were  sent  with  them? 

Answer. — I  know  that  the  wounded  men  were  put  aboard  the 
cars,  and  the  most  dangerously  wounded  were  put  upon  mattresses, 
and  in  some  instances  I  could  not  get  mattresses.  On  every  oc- 
casion I  endeavored  to  have  at  least  one  day's  cooked  rations 
sent  with  the  men,  and  I  sent  also  a  sufficient  number  of  assist- 
ants to  look  after  them.  I  also  sent  either  a  surgeon  or  an  assist- 
ant surgeon  with  the  first  four  or  five  trains  that  left  Holly 
Springs  after  the  wounded  came  in.  These  men  were  delivered 
to  hospitals  below,  and  the  medical  officers  reported  back  to  me 
that  they  had  discharged  their  duty. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  know  whether  or  not  the 
cars  with  the  wounded  stopped  all  night  at  Water  Valley?  and  if 
so,  why  they  stopped  ? 

Answer. — It  was  reported  to  me  by  a  medical  officer  whom  I 
sent  in  charge  of  the  wounded,  that  one  train  was  stopped  for 
the  purpose  of  preparing  warm  rations  for  the  men,  as  they  did 
not  relish  cold  rations.  The  doctor's  name  was  De  Roach ;  he  is 
now  at  Canton.  I  think  no  other  train  was  reported  to  me  as  hav- 
ing stopped  there  at  night  by  any  medical  officer.  Mr.  Frost,  the 
Superintendent  of  the  railroad,  told  me  that  the  regular  freight 
train  left  at  one  o'clock,  and  that  when  there  were  wounded  on 
board,  the  train  would  go  directly  through  to  its  destination.  I 
made  the  proper  inquiries.  I  would  not  have  allowed  a  train 
that  had  left  Holly  Springs  to  have  remained  at  Water  Valley 
all  night  if  I  had  known  it. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  know  if  all  proper  arrange- 


Corinth.  217 

ments  were  made  to  have  the  wounded  sent  to  hospitals  as  com- 
fortable as  possible? 

Answer. — I  did  everything,  and  I  believe  everything  was 
done  that  could  have  been  done.  General  Van  Dorn  told  me  to 
call  upon  him  for  everything  I  needed,  and  afforded  me  every  as- 
sistance in  his  power.  In  addition  to  which  he  telegraphed  to 
General  Ruggles  to  make  preparation  for  them  in  his  District,  in 
case  they  could  not  be  taken  care  of  nearer  on  this  side  of  it. 

Question  by  Defendant. — Do  you  know  of  any  neglect  on  the 
part  of  General  Van  Dorn  to  have  the  wounded  properly  at- 
tended to,  or  of  any  report  ever  having  been  made  to  him  that 
they  had  not  been? 

Answer. — I  do  not. 

Question  by  Defendant. — If  cars  with  wounded  men  improp- 
erly stopped  at  Water  Valley,  could  it  have  been  prevented  by 
General  Van  Dora? 

Answer. — I  think  not;  because  the  Superintendent  of  the  rail- 
road claims  to  be  governed  by  General  Lee's  orders  prohibiting 
military  interference  with  the  management  of  the  railroads,  in 
regard  to  running  the  road,  and  so  expressed  himself  to  me  on 
several  occasions.  Once  when  I  endeavored  to  get  him  to  bring 
a  load  of  sick  over  as  far  as  Oxford  off  schedule  time. 

Question  by  Defendant. — What  has  been  General  Van  Dorn's 
usual  attention  to  the  sick  and  wounded  in  this  Department  ? 

Answer. — His  attention  has  been  prompt  and  kind  so  far  as 
I  know ;  more  so  than  any  other  military  officer  under  whom  I 
have  ever  served. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Were  any  of  the  wounded  men  sent  off 
to  the  hospitals  below,  with  their  wounds  undressed? 

Answer. — I  suppose  there  were.  We  had  not  a  sufficient  num- 
ber of  medical  officers  to  attend  the  whole  of  them.  We  attended 
to  most  of  the  cases,  and  as  fast  as  we  could. 

Question  by  Recorder. — Were  they  improperly  crowded  or 
herded  in  the  cars? 

Answer. — Not  that  I  know  of.  We  had  to  put  them  pretty 
close,  but  not  so  as  to  be  injurious  in  any  way  that  I  know  of. 
I  think  it  not  unlikely  that  at  every  station  below,  the  stragglers 
crowded  in,  and  by  the  time  they  got  some  distance  below,  they 
may  have  been  pretty  well  crowded.  There  are  a  great  many 
stragglers  besieging  every  railroad  depot. 


218  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

The  following  order  was  received  by  the  Court: 

[EXTRACT.] 
HEADQRS.  DEPT.  Miss.  ANU  E.  LOUISIANA, 

JACKSON,  Miss.,  Nov.  i8th,  1862. 
Special  Orders,  No.  32. 

******* 

IV.  The  Court  of  Inquiry  now  sitting  at  Abbeville,  Miss., 
in  the  case  of  Major-General  Earl  Van  Dorn,  P.  A.  C.  S.,  will 
in  addition  to  their  pres«ent  duties,  express  an  opinion  upon  the 
facts  as  elicited,  and  will  further  investigate  any  charge  of 
drunkenness  against  that  officer. 

By  order  of  Lt.-Gen.  Pemberton, 

J.  R.  WADDY, 

A.  A.  Gen. 
Maj-Gen.  Price,  through  Ma j. -Gen.  Earl  Van  Dorn. 

And  the  Court  adjourned  at  two  o'clock  p.  M.,  to  meet  again  on 
Saturday  morning,  Nov.  22d. 

9  o'clock  A.  M.,  Saturday,  Nov.  22,  1862. 
The  Court  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 
Present — Maj.-Gen.  Sterling  Price,  Maj.-Gen.  D.  H.  Maury, 
Brig.-Gen.  Lloyd  Tilghman,  Capt.   E.  H.   Cummins,   Recorder, 
Maj.-Gen.  Earl  Van  Dorn. 

Maj.-Gen.  VAN  DORN  submitted  the  address  herewith  for- 
warded : 

Gentlemen  of  the  Court:  Stripped  of  all  technicalities  the 
accusations  against  me  are: 

First. — That  I  ought  not  to  have  attacked  Corinth  at  all. 

Second. — That  I  made  the  attack  without  consideration  or 
forethought  on  a  plan  crude  and  undigested. 

Third. — That  military  blunders  were  committed  by  me  in  the 
management  of  the  fight  on  the  first  day  (Friday),  and  that  I 
failed  to  mal  i  proper  disposition  during  the  night  of  Friday,  by 
which  the  battle  was  lost. 

Fourth. — That  I  moved  my  army  on  Corinth  with  deficient 
subsistence  supplies  relying  on  capturing  what  was  needed  from 
the  enemy. 

Fifth. — That  I  was  cruel  and  inhuman  to  the  officers  and  men 
of  my  command  by  ordering  senseless  circuitous  marches  and 
counter-marches,  and  by  subjecting  them  to  starvation. 


Corinth.  219 

Sixth. — That  I  was  negligent  of  my  wounded,  and  by  my. 
neglect  subjected  them  to  incredible  and  unnecessary  suffering. 

If  these  accusations  are  well  founded  they  must  deeply  touch 
my  character  as  a  soldier  and  a  man.  If  they  be  true,  I  am 
neither  fit  for  society  or  command.  If  they  are  established  by 
the  evidence  before  you,  I  ought  to  be  stripped  of  every  badge 
of  military  authority  or  honor  my  country  ever  conferred  upon 
me  (which  I  have  worn  with  the  thrill  of  gratitude,  love  of  coun- 
try inspired),  and  banished  out  of  the  circle  of  a  civilized  and 
Christian  humanity.  Upon  issues  so  big  with  importance  to  all 
that  I  hold  dear,  I  trust  the  Court  will  not  regard  some  comment, 
on  my  part,  either  untimely  or  improper. 

First. — Was  it  wrong  to  attack  Corinth  at  all  ?  This  question 
cannot  be  determined  without  a  careful  consideration  of  the  situ- 
ation', the  accepted  word  to  signify  the  relative  position  and 
forces  of  the  enemy,  and  of  our  own. 

At  the  time  I  determined  to  move  on  Corinth  the  enemy  held 
the  city  of  Memphis  fortified  by  works,  and  within  the  protec- 
tion of  gunboats;  Bolivar  strongly  fortified  on  both  banks  of  the 
Hatchie  River,  Jackson  fortified,  and  Corinth  strengthened  by 
more  elaborate  works  and  defenses  than  existed  at  either  of  the 
positions  mentioned.  The  forces  of  the  enemy  distributed  at 
these  points  approximately  amounted  in  the  aggregate  to  forty- 
two  thousand,  as  follows :  At  Memphis  six  thousand,  at  Bolivar 
eight  thousand,  at  Jackson  three  thousand,  at  Corinth  fifteen 
thousand,  at  the  outposts,  Burnsville,  Rienzi,  Jacinto,  luka  and 
Bethel,  eight  thousand ;  at  important  bridges  and  on  garrison 
duty,  two  or  three  thousand.  Western  Tennessee  was  occupied 
by  the  enemy  with  railroad  connections  to  Columbus,  Ky.,  and 
the  Mississippi  River,  from  Helena  to  Cairo,  and  they  held 
Nashville,  garrisoned  by  a  small  force,  in  Middle  Tennessee.  At 
Helena,  also  fortified,  the  Federal  force  amounted  to thou- 
sands, with  the  facility  of  river  transportation.  The  new  levies  \ 
under  the  call  for  six  hundred  thousand  additional  troops,  had 
long  been  made,  and  were  rapidlv  being  organized,  while  many 
thousand  of  them  had  already  taken  the  field.  The  main  body 
of  our  army,  which  evacuated  Corinth,  was  in  Kentucky  under 
General  Bragg,  before  greatly  superior  forces  of  the  enemy,  with 
at  least  no  certainty  of  maintaining  its  position.  Eastern  Ten- 
nessee was  free  from  Federal  dominion.  General  Price,  with  a 


22O  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

force  of thousand,  occupied  the  lines  of  the  Ohio  and  Mobile 

Railroad  at  Baldwin,  while  my  command  at  Vicksburg  and  Port 
Hudson,  and  at  Abbeville,  was  guarding  the  Mississippi  River 
and  the  lines  of  the  Mississippi  Central  Railroad  leading  to  the 
capital  of  the  State.  The  successful  defense  of  Vicksburg 
against  a  naval  force,  however  formidable,  has  shown  that  a 
combined  land  and  naval  attack  was  necessary  to  the  reduction 
of  the  place,  and  the  enemy  was  exerting  extraordinary  energy 
to  be  prepared  for  such  result.  To  prevent  it,  the  expulsion  of 
the  enemy  from  Western  Tennessee  became  a  military  necessity. 
More  than  this,  in  view  of  the  immense  preparations  being  made 
by  the  Federal  Government  to  overwhelm  us  in  the  spring,  or 
during  the  autumn,  should  the  stage  of  the  waters  and  the  season 
be  propitious,  it  was  an  obvious  defensive  policy  to  push  the 
enemy  across  the  Ohio  River,  occupy  Columbus,  resume  the  juris- 
diction of  the  Mississippi  River  by  the  occupation  of  Columbus, 
and  instructed  by  the  light  of  past  events,  fortify,  permanently, 
the  Cumberland  and  Tennessee  Rivers.  This  policy  carried  our 
army,  under  General  Bragg,  to  Kentucky.  If  General  Bragg 
should  succeed  and  maintain  himself,  it  was  clear  that  the  columns 
of  my  command,  united  with  that  of  General  Price,  should  drive 
the  enemy  out  of  Tennessee,  to  accomplish  the  general  design. 
If,  on  the  contrary,  he  should  be  compelled  to  fall  back,  it  was 
equally  manifest  that  an  effort  should  be  made  to  aid  him  by 
crippling  the  Federal  forces  in  Tennessee  and  placing  ourselves  in 
a  position  to  secure  a  junction  or  cooperation  with  his  retreat- 
ing army.  I  ask  how  could  these  objects  be  accomplished  while 
the  enemy  occupied  Corinth.  In  the  judgment  of  military  men 
it  is  the  key  to  the  whole  position ;  its  stratagetic  importance  has 
been  recognized  by  the  enemy,  as  well  as  by  ourselves.  I  could 
have  taken  Memphis,  but  I  could  not  have  held  it  against  the 
naval  force  of  the  enemy  in  front,  and  his  land  forces  in  my  rear, 
and  on  both  flanks.  No  important  military  result  would  have 
attended  the  capture,  and  its  total  destruction  by  the  enemy  would 
have  probably  followed  the  attempt.  The  line  of  fortifications 
around  Bolivar  is  intersected  by  the  Hatchie  River,  rendering  it 
impossible  to  take  the  places  by  quick  assault,  and  reinforcements 
could  be  thrown  in  from  Jackson  by  railroad,  besides  situated  as  it 
is  in  the  reentrant  angle  of  three  fortified  places  an  advance  upon 
it  would  expose  both  my  flanks  and  rear  to  an  attack  from  the 


Corinth.  221 

forces  at  Corinth  and  Memphis.  While  Corinth  was  the  strong- 
est, it  was  the  most  salient  point,  and  its  capture  was  a  condi- 
tion precedent  to  the  accomplishment  of  anything  of  importance 
in  West  Tennessee.  The  able  and  acute  General  who  commanded 
at  Corinth  well  understood  the  consequences  which  would  have 
resulted  from  its  fall.  In  his  official  order  he  says  that  the 
"  stake  for  which  he  fought  at  Corinth  was  the  fate  of  West  Ten- 
nessee, and  more  remotely  the  fate  of  Federal  arms  in  the  Valley 
of  the  Mississippi."  See  this  published  order  and  report  of 
General  Rosecrans.  A  General  no  less  distinguished  gave  me  the 
concurrence  of  his  judgment  in  support  of  my  own  upon  the  vital 
necessity  of  reducing  Corinth.  Major-General  Price,  before  the 
junction  of  our  forces  at  Ripley,  in  September,  wrote  me  "  that 
he  was  ready  to  cooperate  with  me  in  an  attack  upon  Corinth," 
and  here  as  a  witness,  in  clear  and  emphatic  words,  and  in  many 
forms  of  expression,  he  has  confirmed  the  propriety  of  the  step  he 
was  willing  to  take.  He  testifies  that  so  great  was  the  importance 
of  Corinth  to  us,  that  it  "  warranted  more  than  the  usual  hazard 
of  battle  "  to  win  it.  He  testifies  that  "  had  we  taken  Corinth, 
the  present  advantageous  base  of  operations  of  the  enemy,  Mem- 
phis, Jackson,  Bolivar,  Lagrange,  Grand  Junction  and  Corinth 
would  now  be  ours,  not  theirs."  He  adds :  "  I  do  not  entertain 
a  doubt  of  it." 

He  testifies  that  "  he  has  not  a  doubt  that  if  we  had  taken 
Corinth,  and  as  a  consequence  thereof  freed  Western.  Tennessee, 
that  the  efforts  of  the  enemy  to  dislodge  our  army  would  have 
prolonged  the  contest  so  late  in  the  season  as  to  render  military 
movements  difficult."  He  testifies  that  "  in  the  event  of  General 
Bragg's  army  being  compelled  to  fall  back  into  Tennessee,  the 
taking  of  Corinth  by  us  would,  in  all  likelihood,  have  enabled 
Bragg's  army  and  this  to  have  'united  or  cooperated  in  such  a 
way  as  to  hold  the  State  of  Tennessee  for  several  months."  He 
volunteered  to  say  in  his  evidence  that  "  in  the  movements  upon 
Corinth,  and  in  the  management  of  the  fight  at  Corinth,  amid  all 
the  consultations  and  conferences  with  me,  which  were  frequent 
and  many,  there  aro^e  but  one  difference  of  opinion  between  us, 
and  that  was  upon  the  question  whether  the  attack  should  be  de- 
layed a  few  days  until  we  should  be  reinforced  by  the  returned 
prisoners,  expected  from  Jackson.  I  introduced  the  testimony 
of  General  Price  on  the  subject  of  the  propriety  of  my  advance  on 


222  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

Corinth,  because  he  was  an  officer  of  experience  and  distinction ; 
second,  because  from  his  position  as  commander  of  a  separate 
army,  left  in  the  rear  by  General  Bragg  to  guard  important  inter- 
ests of  this  State,  and  to  cooperate,  as  far  as  his  limited  resources 
would  allow,  in  the  general  design  which  Bragg's  movements  was 
intended  to  accomplish,  his  mind  must  have  often  been  painfully 
engaged  in  considering  what  action,  on  his  part,  might  best  con- 
tribute to  the  success  of  our  arms ;  and  last,  because  I  knew  the 
propriety  of  attacking  Corinth  was  no  new  subject  with  him,  but 
one  that  for  a  long  time  received  his  anxious  consideration. 
Corinth,  so  hurtful  to  us  while  in  the  possession  of  the  enemy,  so 
advantageous  to  us  if  in  our  own,  ought  to  have  been  attacked 
by  me  unless  my  repulse  was  an  inevitable  event. 

This  could  be  only  because  either  the  place  was  impregnable  to 
assault,  or  because  it  was  defended  by  an  overwhelming  force. 
My  accuser,  General  Bowen,  was  not  bold  enough  to  affirm  either 
proposition.  He  does  not  aver  that  the  place  was  impregnable  to 
assault.  He  does  not  charge  that  it  was  defended  by  overwhelm- 
ing numbers.  He  charges  only  "  that  the  place  was  strongly  for- 
tified," and  that  it  was  defended  by  a  "  formidable  force."  That 
it  was  not  impregnable,  he  swears  in  his  testimony,  for  he  says  on 
oath,  that  in  spite  of  the  "  strength  of  the  fortification  "  and  the 
"  formidable  forces  "  of  the  enemy,  the  place  could  have  been 
easily  taken  on  Friday  afternoon,  with  proper  dispersion  on  my 
part  during  the  battle. 

That  it  was  not  impregnable  is  shown  by  the  abundant  proof  in 
the  cause  that  the  exterior  works  were  carried  by  my  entire  line, 
embracing  both  corps,  and  Price's  corps  carried  the  interior  de- 
fenses, and  penetrated  into  the  heart  of  the  town  up  to  the  square 
surrounding  the  headquarters  of  the  commanding  General  of  the 
enemy.  General  Rust,  who,  at  Tuscumbia  bridge,  within  four- 
teen miles  of  Corinth,  pronounced  that  "  success  was  impossible," 
aind  afterwards  in  stronger  phrase  declared  the  "  attempt  mad- 
ness," with  the  candor  of  the  soldier  and  the  gentleman,  testified 
before  you  that  he  was  forced  to  change  his  opinion,  and  said  on 
Friday  afternoon,  "  I  thought  we  had  a  first-rate  chance  to  take 
the  place."  That  the  fortifications  were  not  impregnable  to 
assault  is  manifest  from  the  nature  of  the  works  themselves,  being 
penetrable  by  artillery,  and  requiring  no  scaling  ladders  to  mount 
them. 


Corinth.  223 

Before  proceeding  to  the  second  accusation,  I  wish  to  say  a 
few  words  on  the  preliminary  question,  whether  I  should  have 
waited  for  the  arrival  of  the  returned  prisoners  expected  from 
Jackson  before  moving  on  Corinth  ? 

General  Price  favored  the  policy  of  waiting  for  their  arrival, 
and  I  at  one  time  before  our  junction  acquiesced  in  that  idea,  and 
wrote  to  him  to  that  effect.  Increase  of  force  was  mutually  and 
greatly  desired  by  us  both.  In  reply,  he  writes  to  me  from 
Baldwin:  "  Whether  we  wait  for  the  returned  prisoners  or  not,  it 
is  better  that  the  junction  of  our  forces  should  at  once  take  place." 
Subsequent  reflection  and  additional  information  received  by  me 
before  our  junction  at  Ripley  on  the  28th  of  September  satisfied 
me  that  the  blow  on  Corinth  could  not  be  struck  too  soon.  From 
scouts  in  the  service  of  the  army,  from  my  own  cavalry  pickets,  as 
well  from  Federal  papers,  I  learned  that  Rosecrans  would  be  sent 
to  the  command  of  Corinth  in  place  of  Grant,  who  had  gone 
North,  and  that  the  enemy  were  reinforcing  Jackson  and  Bolivar 
from  Columbus,  and  from  my  knowledge  of  the  capacity  and  char- 
acter of  Rosecrans,  I  was  convinced  that  Corinth  would  be 
strengthened  by  the  change  of  its  commander.  Besides  the  uncer- 
tainty of  Bragg's  position  became  every  day  more  manifest,  and 
his  retirement  from  Kentucky  into  Tennessee  more  probable.  It 
became  very  obvious,  also,  that  General  Bragg  was  deceived  in 
regard  to  the  force  of  the  enemy  in  Western  Tennessee  and  in 
North  Mississippi.  In  addition,  my  constant  and  unremitting 
efforts  to  have  the  returned  prisoners  forwarded  to  Holly  Springs 
even  were  unavailing;  and  from  information  received  from  Gen- 
eral Tilghman,  charged  with  their  equipment  and  organization, 
the  difficulty  of  procuring  full  transportation  for  them,  and  the 
delays  attendant  upon  the  exchanges,  I  became  satisfied  that  if  I 
waited  for  their  reception  all  opportunity  of  striking  Corinth  with 
a  reasonable  prospect  of  success  would  be  lost.  The  junction  of 
our  armies  at  Ripley  increased  the  force  of  these  convictions. 
The  fact  of  junction  could  not  be  long  concealed  from  the  enemy, 
and  the  knowledge  of  that  fact  would  have  stimulated  the  enemy 
to  strengthen  his  defenses  and  augment  his  forces.  His  resources 
to  reinforce  were  greatly  superior  to  our  own,  and  I  am  aware  of 
no  reason  to  suppose  that  he  would  not  have  used  them  The 
testimony  of  General  Tilghman  establishes  the  correctness  of  my 
conclusion.  The  expectation  entertained  by  us  in  September, 


224  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

that  the  returned  prisoners  would  be  received  by  this  army  in  a 
"  few  days  "  was  a  military  illusion ;  "  the  few  days  "  became  an 
indefinite  period.  In  greatly  diminished  numbers,  it  was  not 
until  the  I4th  of  October  that  they  came,  and  up  to  the  present 
time,  the  2Oth  of  November,  after  the  most  active  and  energetic 
exertions,  they  are  not  yet  furnished  with  transportation  for  the 
field. 

Second. — Was  the  attack  on  Corinth  made  without  considera- 
tion or  forethought  on  a  plan  crude  and  undigested  ? 

It  was  supposed  by  my  accuser  that  the  attack  on  Corinth  was 
a  sudden  thought  of  mine;  that  it  was  not  only  a  new  idea,  but 
one  antagonistic  to  purposes  long  entertained  by  me;  that  I  was 
resolved  "  not  to  sacrifice  soldiers  by  moving  them  against  forti- 
fications," and  that  in  some  unexplained  way  I  had  determined 
to  maneuver  the  enemy  out  of  the  fortified  places  held  by  them  in 
Mississippi  and  Tennessee.  So  strong  was  his  conviction  of  my 
hostility  to  marching  against  fortifications,  and  the  suddenness  of 
determination  to  make  Corinth  an  exception  first  communicated 
to  him  at  Davis'  bridge,  on  the  Hatchie  River,  that  he  sees  in 
everything  the  want  of  preparation,  crudeness,  and  confusion 
which  are  apt  concomitants  of  newly  born  purposes.  Thus  he 
supposes  that  I  have  failed  to  think  of  and  provide  subsistence, 
and  calls  upon  his  Division  Commander  to  "  remonstrate  against 
the  march,"  until  the  supposed  deficiency  shall  be  supplied.  He 
concludes  that  in  the  hurry  of  action  I  have  neglected  to  provide 
myself  with  correct  maps  drawn  to  a  scale  of  the  approaches  to 
Corinth,  and  that  I  was  seeking  to  supply  the  deficiency  by  crude 
sketches  of  my  own,  unfit  for  the  ordinary  use  of  the  army.  He 
imagines  that  I  was  ignorant  of  Corinth  and  its  surroundings,  and 
its  defenses,  and  destitute  of  any  maps  showing  the  same  He 
finds  that  the  army  is  marched  on  Corinth  in  "  a  hasty  and  disor- 
derly manner."  To  his  vision  there  is  no  concerted  or  systematic 
plan  of  attack,  but  troops  were  seemingly  hurled  against  the  de- 
fenses, as  if  to  surprise  a  foe  with  whom  I  had  been  engaged,  as 
he  declares,  "  for  thirty-six  hours."  He  concludes,  also,  that  in 
keeping  with  this  hurry  scurry  mode  of  warfare,  I  had  ignored 
all  aid  from  engineers.  It  is  some  consolation  to  learn  from  my 
accuser  that  this  irregular,  spasmodic,  and  unscientific  method  of 
fighting  found  me  on  the  night  of  the  3d  of  October  in  command 
of  "  a  victorious  army,"  inside  of  the  works  of  a  place,  "  strongly 


Corinth.  225 

fortified,  supported  by  an  enemy  formidable  in  numbers,  and  fully 
prepared  for  a  stubborn  defense." — See  1st  specification  of  ist 
charge  and  the  3d  specification  of  the  ist  charge. 

In  spite  of  the  utter  hopelessness  of  surprising  an  enemy  with 
whose  outposts  I  had  been  engaged  for  thirty-six  hours,  we  learn 
from  my  accuser  that  the  enemy  had  failed  to  avail  himself  of 
this  long  notice,  and  had  not  called  in  his  reinforcements,  and 
required  the  further  time  of  the  night  of  the  3d  and  4th  of  October 
to  bring  them  in ;  which,  he  says,  I  allowed  him  by  declining  to 
make  a  night  attack ;  of  which  advantage,  he  says,  in  his  charge, 
but  not  in  his  testimony,  the  enemy  fully  availed  himself. — See  2d 
specification  of  ist  charge. 

The  ist  charge  and  its  specifications  amount  to  a  suicide  in  logic, 
and  evince  a  total  ignorance  of  my  plan  of  attacking  Corinth.  It 
is  not  strange  that  Gen.  Bowen  should  be  ignorant  of  my  purpose, 
and  of  the  means  by  which  I  hoped  to  have  executed  it,  for  I  had 
not  deemed  it  necessary  to  inform  him  on  either  point.  As  a 
Brigade  commander,  I  thought  his  duty  was  to  obey  orders,  and  I 
did  not  call  him  to  counsel  with  me.  Now  this  Court,  in  the  light' 
of  the  evidence  before  it,  knows  that  the  attack  on  Corinth  had 
been  the  subject  of  anxious  deliberation  on  my  part,  and  on  the 
part  of  Gen.  Price ;  that  I  had  made  ample  provisions  for  the  sub- 
sistence of  my  army  ;  that  I  had  taken  great  pains  while  in  Corinth, 
in  April  and  May,  to  make  myself  acquainted  with  Corinth,  its 
surroundings,  its  approaches,  its  defenses,  and  topography ;  that 
I  was  possessed  of  accurate  maps  drawn  by  competent  engineers, 
Federal  and  Confederate,  showing  the  same ;  that  Gen.  Price  had 
sent  me  a  scout,  who,  by  his  directions,  had  entered  Corinth  a 
short  time  previous  to  my  attack  of  the  place,  to  inform  me  of  its 
defenses  and  forces ;  that  our  march  was  "  not  disorderly,"  but  "  in 
perfect  order,"  and  not  too  hasty  ;  that  the  line  of  battle  was  formed 
and  the  attack  made  in  accordance  with  the  rule  of  military  science, 
and  at  points  with  which  I  was  made  entirely  familiar  by  previous 
service  at  Corinth,  while  the  place  was  in  our  possession.  It  is 
charged  by  my  accuser,  that  I  failed  to  avail  myself  on  Friday 
afternoon  of  an  opportunity  to  send  Gen.  Lovell's  division  pell 
mell  into  Corinth,  following  what,  he  says,  was  the  broken  and 
retreating  center  of  the  enemy's  lines.  Without  any  knowledge 
of  the  condition  of  affairs  on  my  center  and  left,  and  with  a 
conjectural  idea  of  the  condition  of  the  enemy's  left,  and  with  a 

'5 


226  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

confessed  ignorance  of  the  force  and  position  of  the  enemy's  right 
— seeing,  as  he  says,  five  regiments  of  the  enemy  retire  towards 
their  inner  fortifications,  in  confusion;  he  suggests  that  Corinth 
might  have  been  taken  by  throwing  my  right  wing  in  pursuit  of 
them !  The  proof  shows  that  at  that  time,  and  for  two  or  three 
hours  afterwards,  the  center  and  left  of  my  line,  embracing  Gen. 
Price's  corps,  which  constituted  two-thirds  of  my  army,  was  en- 
gaged in  a  terrific  contest  with  the  enemy,  who  disputed  every  inch 
of  ground  till  sunset,  when  they  ended  the  contest  by  retiring  into 
their  interior  defenses. 

I  do  not  doubt  the  gallantry  of  my  accuser,  but  his  criticisms  as 
a  Brigade  Commander,  confined  in  his  knowledge  to  what  appears 
before  him,  ignorant  of  the  operations  going  on  in  two-thirds  of 
the  line  of  battle,  and  unapprized  of  the  plan  of  operations  of  the 
General  in  command,  reminds  me  of  Cowper's  fly  on  the  dome  of 
St.  Paul,  who,  with  a  vision  that  extended  only  a  few  inches 
around  hirn,  was  found  discoursing  on  the  architecture  of  the 
entire  building. 

It  is  said  that  I  ought  to  have  pursued  the  advantage  gained  by 
me  in  the  afternoon  of  Friday,  by  a  night  attack.  I  did  not  fail  to 
consider  that  matter ;  I  was  anxious  to  deny  the  enemy  the  possi- 
bility of  reinforcements.  I  knew  my  antagonist ;  knew  that  he 
would  avail  himself  of  every  resource  in  his  power,  but  I  could  not 
prudently  hazard  a  night  attack.  My  troops  were  not  veterans, 
though  gallant  as  any  commander  ever  led  to  battle.  They  were 
greatly  exhausted  by  heat,  by  thirst,  and  by  the  fatigue  which 
excess  of  valor  created.  The  line  of  attack  was  a  long  one,  and  as 
it  approached  the  interior  defenses  of  the  enemy,  that  line  must 
necessarily  become  contracted;  there  would  have  been  imminent 
danger  of  mistaking  friend  for  foe,  unless  the  utmost  care  was 
exercised  in  the  advance.  Besides,  it  was  impossible  for  me  to 
ascertain  the  precise  position  of  the  enemy,  and  that  fact  was 
strong  against  a  night  attack. 

It  is  charged  that  I  did  not  on  the  night  of  the  3d  of  October 
reconnoiter  the  position  of  the  enemy.  The  fact  is  admitted  by  me, 
and  the  answer  is  as  the  evidence  shows,  including  that  of  my 
accuser,  that  it  was  impossible.  The  experiment  was  tried.  One 
of  my  staff  officers,  Major  Dillon,  was  sent  by  me  in  that  service, 
and  he  met  the  sharpshooters  of  the  enemy  in  less  than  a  hundred 
yards  of  my  line.  If  the  noise  of  the  wagons  and  cannon  had 


Corinth.  227 

clearly  indicated  reinforcements,  rather  than  evacuation,  there  was 
no  method  by  which  I  could  have  avoided  the  result. 

The  plan  of  the  movement  on  Corinth  was  to  take  the  place,  not 
by  siege  or  investment,  but  by  coup  de  main.  From  all  the  sources 
of  information  accessible  to  a  commander,  I  was  satisfied  that  the 
force  at  Corinth  and  its  outposts  did  not  much  exceed  20,000  men. 
Some  of  their  outposts  were  at  a  distance  from  Corinth  of  15  and 
20  miles.  The  forces  in  Corinth  did  not  exceed  12  or  15,000.  By 
a  sudden  and  rapid  attack  on  the  place,  I  expected  to  throw  upon 
it  a  force  superior  to  that  of  the  enemy,  and  I  hoped  to  carry  the 
place  before  the  reinforcements  of  the  outposts  could  be  drawn  in. 
To  this  end  I  masked  my  attack  on  Corinth,  by  threatening  Bolivar. 
My  advance  upon  Bolivar  had  drawn  the  division  of  Ross  from 
Corinth  to  that  point.  I  marched  suddenly  from  Ripley  to  Poca- 
hontas  equidistant  between  Bolivar  and  Corinth.  My  cavalry 
was  thrown  forward  towards  both  points ;  I  turned  quickly  to- 
wards Corinth,  masking  my  infantry  with  my  cavalry  up  to  Indian 
Creek,  within  a  short  distance  of  the  exterior  works  of  Corinth, 
making  it  uncertain  which  place  was  the  object  of  attack.  I  cut 
the  railroad  between  Bolivar  and  Corinth,  and  no  reinforcements 
came  from  Bolivar  to  the  aid  of  Corinth.  Further  to  cover  my 
design,  I  worked  all  night  on  a  bridge  at  Pocahontas,  and  left  it 
unfinished.  By  the  proof  in  the  case,  it  is  manifest  that  I  fell  upon 
Corinth  defended  by  less  than  15,000  men.  The  failure  to  carry 
the  place  in  first  day,  and  the  reinforcements  brought  in  by  the 
toil  and  industry  and  working  capacity  of  an  able  and  indefatigable 
adversary,  whom  I  had  surprised,  together  with  a  failure  to  carry 
out  my  plan  of  attack  on  the  morning  of  Saturday  by  one  of  those 
contre-temps  against  which  no  Providence  can  guard,  lost  the 
battle  of  Corinth.  My  official  report  explains  the  causes  of  its  de- 
rangements, but  as  the  charges  and  specifications  do  not  touch  the 
matter,  I  forbear  to  lay  them  before  the  Court. 

It  would  be  inexcusable  in  me  before  this  tribunal  to  notice  the 
remaining  accusations  made  against  me.  The  proof,  unmistake- 
ably  and  beyond  cavil,  stamp  them  as  untrue.  My  supplies  were 
more  than  ample,  there  were  no  unnecessary  marches  or  counter- 
marches, and  the  care  of  my  wounded  is  affirmatively  established 
beyond  the  power  of  refutation. 

Outside  of  the  specific  charges  made  by  my  accuser,  I  have  been 
enabled  by  this  investigation  to  stamp  with  infamy  the  defamatory 


228  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

attack  made  upon  my  character,  as  a  soldier  and  a  gentleman, 
throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  this  land,  by  clandestine  and 
cowardly  falsehoods,  sent  on  electric  currents  to  the  President  at 
Richmond,  and  by  wholesale  and  loud-mouthed  calumny,  scattered 
over  my  native  State.  I  have  been  proclaimed  an  habitual  drunk- 
ard, addicted  to  intemperance — intoxicated  on  the  battle-field  of 
Corinth.  You,  Gen.  Price  and  Gen.  Maury,  members  of  this 
Court,  know  and  have  testified  to  the  intense  falsehood  of  that 
accusation.  Other  charges,  incapable  in  their  nature  of  investiga- 
tion by  this  Court,  nearly  touching  my  character  as  a  man,  originat- 
ing among  the  people  of  my  native  State,  have  had  the  same  wide- 
spread circulation.  Born  of  malice  and  falsehood,  they  can  escape 
refutation  only  by  escaping  investigation.* 

Gentlemen  of  the  Court,  I  am  a  Mississippian  by  birth ;  the  ashes 
of  my  parents  repose  in  her  soil ;  it  has  been  my  pride  to  serve  her. 
Called  to  an  administrative  department  on  her  territory  against  my 
will,  because  not  fitted  by  previous  experience  to  discharge  the 
duties  of  such  position — I  have  taxed  every  energy  of  my  nature 
to  guard  and  protect  her  interests.  I  remember  with  what  fond- 
ness, after  long  absence,  I  gazed  upon  the  sky  which  canopied  the 
spot  where  I  had  first  seen  the  light  of  day.  My  hopes  and  my 
aspirations  have  been  blended  with  her  prosperity  and  her  glory. 
To  aid  in  advancing  both  has  been  my  study  since  I  was  clothed 
with  authority  on  her  soil.  I  have  spent  many  an  anxious  night 
and  travail  of  mind  to  discover  how  best  I  might  beat  back  the 
invader  from  her  limits.  I  struck  for  her  as  I  would  strike  for 
wife  or  child.  I  have  always  been  ready  to  shed  my  blood  for  the 
State,  yet  in  the  midst  of  my  struggles  for  Mississippi  my  name 
has  been  blighted  by  her  people. 


This  letter  relates  an  interesting  scene  at  the  close  of  this  Court 
of  Inquiry  from  an  eminent  attorney  of  the  New  Orleans  bar,  and 
rx-State  Senator  of  Louisiana,  Hon.  Thos.  S.  McCay. 

*"  Jesus  stooped  down  and  wrote  upon  the  ground,  then  lifted  up  Himself  and 
said, '  He  that  is  without  sin  cast  the  first  stone.'  Again  He  wrote,  and  when  He 
arose  He  was  left  alone, — their  consciences  convicted  them  and  they  went  out  one 
by  one." 


Corinth.  229 

"  CAMP  NEAR  ABBEVILLE,  Miss.,  November  23,  1862. 
"  MY  DEAR  FRIEND  : 

"  I  have  intended  to  write  you,  but  almost  constant  occupation 
and  the  very  meager  facilities  for  correspondence,  such  as  no  ink, 
pen,  paper,  desk,  etc.,  provided.  Though  silent,  my  thoughts  are 
often  in  Port  Gibson. 

"  I  snatch  one  moment  to  give  you  I  know  great  joy  and  glad- 
ness, and  then  must  postpone  general  subjects  of  interest  for  more 
time  and  convenience. 

"  The  gallant  Gen.  Earl  Van  Dorn,  my  warm  personal  friend, 
has  passed  triumphantly  through  an  ordeal  lasting  some  ten  days, 
which  he  was  called  upon  to  encounter.  You  may  probably  be  in- 
formed that  Brig.-Gen.  John  S.  Bowen,  shielding  himself  from  the 
popular  clamor  of  the  profanum  vitlgus,  and  instigated  by  the 
malice  of  Satan,  preferred  a  series  of  charges  as  long  as  the  moral 
law  against  Earl.  They  embraced  his  military,  moral,  and  social 
character,  and  had  they  been  sustained,  he  should  have  been 
stripped  of  the  honors  which  his  country  had  so  generously  be- 
stowed and  sent  among  his  fellows  as  cne  like  them,  but  not  of 
them ;  as  one  regardless  of  the  sick  and  wounded  in  defense  of  our 
cause,  and  as  utterly  insensible  of  sobriety  in  manhood  or  the 
claims  of  virtue  in  humanity. 

"  The  Court  was  composed  of  that  old  hero,  Sterling  Price, 
Major-General  and  President  of  the  Court ;  Major-General  Dabney 
H.  Maury,  and  Brigadier-General  L.  Tilghman.  This  tribunal 
was  selected  by  Lieutenant-General  Pemberton. 

"  After  a  patient  and  thorough  examination  of  all  the  evidence, 
the  Court  has  just  rendered  the  judgment.  Clamor  and  defama- 
tion are  silenced,  military  science,  moral  and  social  character  have 
been  exalted,  and  my  friend  has  been  triumphantly  acquitted  after, 
as  I  declare  in  my  professional  capacity,  as  searching  and  complete 
an  investigation  as  was  ever  given  a  cause. 

"  The  Court  declare :  '  We,  the  Court,  do  unanimnusly  find  tVat 
the  charges  preferred  by  Brigadier-General  John  S.  Bowen  against 
Major-General  Earl  Van  Dorn  are  not  only  not  proved,  but  that 
they  are  disproved.'  *  We,  the  Court,  do  further  find  that  the 
charge  of  drunkenness  against  Major-General  Earl  Van  Dorn  is 
not  only  not  proved,  but  is  disproved  by  the  testimony  of  Majors- 
General  Price  and  Maury,  who  were  in  constant  conference  with 
him  in  the  recent  attack  upon  Corinth." 


230  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

"  This  decision  pronounees  the  attack  on  Corinth  as  a  masterly 
military  effort  unsurpassed  by  any  of  the  war,  and  attributes  its 
failure  wholly  to  causes  which  could  not  have  been  anticipated  or 
prevented  by  General  Van  Dorn. 

"  A  most  touching  incident  occurred  while  the  written  defense 
of  Earl  Van  Dorn  was  being-  read.  I  cannot  describe  it  here  as  it 
should  be  painted.  Old  General  Price,  whom  all  call  '  Pap  '  from 
his  fatherly  appearance  and  kind  countenance  and  bearing, 
arrested  the  speaker  by  weeping  like  a  child.  Simultaneously  and 
in  obedience  to  that  absolute  sympathy  which  binds  and  cements  all 
true  souls,  the  three  Judges,  prosecutor,  and  audience  were  in 
tears — every  man  present  wept,  save  one,  and  that  was  Earl  Van 
Dorn,  who  sat  with  firm  brow  and  dauntless  eye  as  only  triumphant 
integrity  and  conscious  right  could  do  under  the  circumstances. 
To  him  it  was  not  a  matter,  of  tears,  but  as  one  of  principle,  exist- 
ence, life,  honor,  emphatically  '  to  be  or  not  to  be.' 

"  You  have  it  all — my  friend  is  exalted  and  stands  higher  in 
the  estimation  of  military  men  and  good  men  than  ever,  though 
malice  has  tried  its  best. 

"  When  I  commenced  I  only  expected  to  write  a  line — I  write  on 
my  lap.  Regards  to  friends.  .  .  . 

"  Yours, 

"  THOMAS  S.  McCAY, 
Attorney  at  Law,  New  Orleans,  La. 


Holly  Springs.  231 


CHAPTER  X. 

HOLLY   SPRINGS. 

AFTER  the  battle  of  Corinth,  Gen.  Van  Dorn  joined  Gen.  Pem- 
berton  at  Grenada,  Miss.  Gen.  Grant  united  his  scattered  forces 
in  Tennessee,  making  a  base  of  supplies  at  Holly  Springs,  Miss., 
and  was  making  all  preparation  to  march  against  Vicksburg.  At 
this  crisis,  in  the  late  fall  of  1862,  while  the  Southern  troops  were 
encamped  in  the  vicinity  of  Grenada  under  command  of  Gen.  Pem- 
berton,  and  Gen.  Grant  was  leisurely  making  progress  towards 
Vicksburg  by  a  flank  movement  on  Jackson,  the  capital  of  Mis- 
sissippi, constructing  roads  and  bridges,  Gen.  Van  Dorn,  com- 
manding the  cavalry  division,  represented  to  Gen.  Pemberton 
that  within  a  week  his  position  would  be  stormed  by  superior 
forces  under  Grant,  and  there  were  but  two  courses  to  pursue, 
one  to  fall  back  on  Jackson,  or  by  a  bold  stroke  to  capture  Holly 
Springs  and  destroy  their  supplies.  He  said,  that  to  fall  back 
would  place  his  army  in  no  better  condition  for  defense.  Gen. 
Loring  and  Gen.  Tilghman  approved  the  proposition  and  Gen. 
Pemberton  assented  to  it,  provided  Gen.  Van  Dorn  would  com- 
mand the  assault.  To  this  Gen.  Van  Dorn  readily  assented,  if 
permitted  to  select  his  men.  The  night  previous  to  the  expedi- 
tion he  spent  in  company  with  Gen.  Walthall,  afterwards  Senator 
from  Mississippi,  and  Gen.  Van  Dorn  related  his  plan  to  him. 
A  brother  of  Gen.  Walthall  asked  to  be  allowed  to  accompany  the 
expedition,  and  after  a  little  hesitation  the  request  was  granted, 
and  he  proved  eminently  useful ;  and  within  two  days  with  sword 
in  hand  he  rode  through  the  streets  of  Holly  Springs,  his  native 
village,  in  the  presence  of  his  sister  and  sweetheart,  who  cheered 
him  as  he  passed — which  seemed  the  culmination  of  the  young 
soldier's  ambition.  The  account  here  quoted  is  from  the  journal 
of  one  of  Gen.  Van  Dorn's  staff  officers,  and  will  add  interest  to 
the  history  of  the  capture:  of  Holly  Springs : 


232  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

"  We  rode  out  of  Grenada  2,000  strong,  all  cavalry,  in  broad 
daylight,  towards  the  Alabama  line,  traveled  with  rapidity  until 
night,  made  four  hours'  rest,  rose  before  daybreak,  and  pushed 
on  to  Pontotoc,  just  in  time  (they  thought)  to  entrap,  kill,  and 
capture  a  force  of  500  United  States  troops  who  had  passed 
through  eastward  an  hour  before.  Gen.  Van  Dorn  was  urged  by 
Col.  Jack  Wharton  and  others  to  pursue  them,  but  he  refused, 
detached  a  company  to  picket,  then  to  obstruct  as  far  as  possible 
their  return  to  Coffeeville  (whence  they  had  started),  and  then 
hastened  himself  on  to  Holly  Springs,  and  here  we  arrived,  as 
near  as  we  dared  approach,  about  10  o'clock  P.  M.  Our  scouts 
reported  all  quiet  up  to  500  yards  of  Holly  Springs.  The  young 
officer  had  gone  into  Holly  Springs.  For  three  hours  the  roads 
were  reconnoitered  right,  left,  and  rear  of  us,  and  as  near  as 
we  could  to  the  front  of  us,  with  orders  to  arrest  every  man, 
woman,  or  child,  friend  or  foe,  so  as  to  render  any  infor- 
mation of  our  presence  impossible.  By  two  o'clock  we  were 
on  our  way,  moving  at  first  rapidly  and  then  came  to  a 
halt.  There  we  sat  on  our  horses  for  half  an  hour,  when  a  com- 
mander of  troops,  I  know  not  who,  galloped  down  from  Holly 
Springs  and  told  Gen.  Van  Dorn  (I  by  his  side)  that  the  only 
outlying  picket  of  Holly  Springs  had  been  captured  without  a 
gun  being  fired,  and  he  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  ride  straight 
into  the  enemy's  camp. 

"  I  have  passed  through  at  least  ten  pitched  battles  and  over  a 
hundred  skirmishes,  but  this  day — with  one  exception — was  the 
proudest  and  happiest  day  of  my  life." 

[It  will  be  seen  from  this  statement  that  in  this  expedition  there 
were  but  2,000  men.  The  Federal  reports  place  the  number  at 
from  5,000  to  10,000.] 

GENERAL   VAN   DORN's   BRIEF   REPORT   OF   THE   CAPTURE   OF    HOLLY 
SPRINGS,  BRIEF  BUT  TO  THE  POINT.* 

"  I  surprised  the  enemy  at  this  place  at  daylight  this  morning ; 
burnt  up  all  the  quartermaster  stores,  cotton,  etc.  An  immense 

*  A  paragraph  in  a  recent  issue  of  the  Washington  Post  contained  a  statement, 
inadvertently  penned,  to  the  effect  that  Gen.  W.  H.  Jackson,  of  Tennessee,  the 
noted  breeder  of  fine  racehorses,  captured  Holly  Springs  and  destroyed  thousands 
of  dollars'  worth  of  Gen.  Grant's  stores.  "  That  was  a  mistake,"  said  an  ex-Con- 
federate general  at  the  Metropolitan.  "  The  credit  of  the  capture  of  Holly 


Holly  Springs.  233 

amount  burnt  up,  many  trains.     Took  a  great  many  arms  and 
about  1,500  prisoners. 

"  I  presume  the  value  of  stores  would  amount  to  a  million  and 
a  half  of  dollars.     I  move  on  to  Davis'  Mills  at  once.     Morgan 
attacked  Jackson   day  before  yesterday.     Yankees   say  he   was,' 
repulsed.     They  are  sending  reinforcements  there. 
"  I  will  communicate  with  him. 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN, 

"  Major-General 
"  Holly  Springs,  Dec.  20,  1862. 
"  To  Lieut.-Gen.  Pemberton." 


The  following  incidents  connected  with  the  capture  of  Holly 
Springs  are  narrated  by  Dr.  J.  G.  Deupree  and  W.  R.  Steven- 
son, of  Texas,  who  were  among  the  picked  men  selected  for  this 
daring  expedition  against  Holly  Springs,  and  are  graphically 
described.  Dr.  Deupree  says : 

'  The  narrative  opens  by  describing  the  military  situation  as  it 
was  about  the  middle  of  December,  1862 — Grant  with  his  main 
body  at  Oxford  and  his  outposts  at  Coffeeville ;  Pemberton  south 
of  the  Yalobusha,  with  front  and  flanks  covered  by  Van  Dorn's 
cavalry,  numbering  about  2,500  troopers.  The  story  tells  how 
Van  Dorn  moved  east  from  Grenada  on  the  night  of  December 
17,  ostensibly  to  capture  or  destroy  Col.  Dickey's  1,000  raiders 
operating  on  the  Mobile  &  Ohio  Railroad  above  and  below 
Tupelo ;  how  Van  Dorn,  when  about  to  encounter  Dickey,  so 
maneuvered  as  to  pass  through  Pontotoc  in  the  direction  of  New 
Albany,  and  allow  Dickey  to  follow  him  if  he  chose,  or  if  he  pre- 
ferred, after  noting  the  direction  of  Van  Dorn's  march,  to  go  and 
report  to  Grant  at  Oxford  that  he  had  seen  Van  Dorn  at  the  head 
of  his  cavalry  moving  north,  apparently  bent  on  going  into  Ten- 
nessee to  join  Forrest  at  Bolivar  or  Jackson.  As  the  story  goes, 
Dickey  chose  the  latter  alternative.  The  narrative  shows  the 
tactics  of  Van  Dorn  in  keeping  the  enemy  always  behind  him, 
never  giving  him  an  opportunity  to  get  ahead  and  interfere  with 
the  advance  or  give  warning  of  his  approach.  It  also  reveals 
how  well  Van  Dorn  concealed  from  the  enemy  his  objective  point 

Springs  belongs  to  Gen.  Earl  Van  Dorn,  whose  tragic  and  untimely  death  was  so 
deeply  deplored.  He  was  one  of  the  most  gallant  soldiers  that  ever  donned  the 
gray." 


234  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

as  long  as  possible,  and  then  moved  so  rapidly  that  hostile  scouts 
or  videttes  could  not  report  his  coming  long  enough  in  advance 
to  be  of  any  service  to  Col.  Murphy,  in  command  at  Holly 
Springs. 

"  After  telling  many  amusing  and  instructive  incidents  of 
the  march  and  how  Van  Dorn's  troopers  halted  about  10  o'clock 
on  the  night  of  December  19  within  five  miles  of  town,  dis- 
mounted in  grim  silence,  and  without  fires  stood  ready  at  any 
moment  to  remount,  the  story  continues  thus : 

"  '  Before  daylight  an  order  was  quietly  passed  along  to  mount 
and  form  fours.  It  chanced  to  be  the  day  for  the  First  Missis- 
sippi Cavalry  to  be  the  advance  of  McCullough's  brigade.  Lieut. 
S.  B.  Day,  of  Company  G  (Noxubee  Cavalry),  was  in  command 
of  the  advance  guard,  and  the  front  four  were  Bob  White,  Groves 
Dantzler,  D.  W.  Deupree  and  J.  G.  Deupree.  The  order  was  at 
once  given  to  move  forward  on  two  roads  at  a  gallop,  to  capture 
the  pickets  or  pursue  them  so  closely  that  no  alarm  could  pre- 
cede us.  The  wisdom  of  the  order  was  appreciated  by  all,  and 
it  was  obeyed  with  alacrity.  The  First  Mississippi  were  to  enter 
town  from  the  northeast,  charge  through  infantry  without  halting 
to  fight  or  receive  surrenders,  but  at  once  to  attack  the  cavalry 
when  discovered.  The  Second  Missouri  were  to  dismount  at  the 
edge  of  town,  charge  on  foot  and  capture  or  disperse  any  in- 
fantry encountered.  The  Texas  brigade  were  to  approach  from 
the  east,  coming  in  by  the  railroad  depot,  and  thus  prevent  any 
reinforcements  from  surprising  us  in  that  direction.  A  detach- 
ment of  Texans  also  were  to  go  south  and  watch  the  Abbeville 
road.  Jackson's  brigade  were  to  approach  from  the  north,  pre- 
venting possible  reinforcements  from  Bolivar,  as  well  as  watch- 
ing the  road  coming  from  Memphis  on  the  west. 

" '  As  we  neared  the  town  we  increased  our  speed.  Pinson's 
First  Mississippi  rode  through  in  a  sweeping  gallop,  ignoring  the 
infantry,  many  of  whom,  awakened  and  startled  by  the  charge, 
ran  out  of  their  tents  in  night  attire  and  fired  into  our  column, 
wounding  nearly  every  horse  in  the  advance  guard  and  several 
of  the  men.  As  we  approached  the  fair  grounds  the  Second 
Illinois  Cavalry,  under  Col.  Neill  and  Maj.  Mudd,  were  in  line, 
answering  roll  call,  preparing  to  go  out  and  look  for  Van  Dorn, 
as  they  had  heard  he  was  coming.  Brave  and  courageous,  under 
gallant  officers,  they  bodly  charged  upon  us  with  drawn  sabers. 


Holly  Springs.  235 

I  cannot  undertake  to  recount  all  that  occurred  in  the  melee,  but 
mention  only  some  incidents  that  came  under  my  own  observa- 
tion. Little  Jere  Beasley,  a  lad  of  fifteen  summers,  was  about 
to  be  cut  down  by  a  stalwart  Federal,  when  Lieut.  Day  shot  the 
daring  rider  with  an  arm  uplifted  ready  to  strike  the  deadly  blow. 
Our  Maj.  Wheeler  had  his  thumb  cut  off  in  a  saber  duel  with  a 
Federal  officer.  Adjutant  Lawrence  Yates  was  struck  in  the 
forehead,  the  blood  gushing  from  the  long,  deep  wound  and 
flooding  his  face  and  neck.  My  own  horse  had  been  shot  twice 
as  we  came  through  the  infantry,  and  now  received  the  third  and 
fatal  bullet  right  between  the  eyes,  and  fell  lifeless  to  the  ground. 
I  simply  made  breastworks  of  the  dead  animal,  until  I  could 
catch  the  horse  of  the  Federal  with  whom  I  had  been  engaged, 
and  who  had  been  shot  by  me  or  some  other  Confederate. 
Mounting  the  Federal  charger,  I  was  soon  with  my  regiment 
chasing  the  routed  enemy.  Pistols  in  the  hands  of  Mississip- 
pians  had  proved  superior  to  sabers  wielded  by  the  hardy  sons 
of  Illinois.  Many  thrilling  deeds  done  by  Federals  and  Confed- 
erates must  remain  forever  unknown.  But  it  may  be  said  that 
the  First  Mississippi  met  in  the  Second  Illinois  foemen  worthy 
of  their  steel,  for  nerve  was  required  to  make  as  well  as  to  receive 
that  impetuous  charge.  Though  few  of  our  men  were  killed,  yet 
many  were  wounded,  most  of  them  but  slightly.  As  victors  we 
arranged  to  have  the  wounded  cared  for  and  to  send  our  dis- 
abled south  by  way  of  the  east.' 

"  Here  this  valuable  paper  gives  many  interesting  details  of 
the  entry  of  the  other  Confederate  commands,  of  the  surrender 
of  the  Federal  infantry,  of  the  destruction  of  the  vast  stores  of 
every  kind  accumulated  for  Grant's  great  army,  and  of  the  ex- 
citement and  confusion  necessarily  incident  to  the  occasion.  The 
scene  was  described  as  '  wild  and  exciting,  Federals  running, 
Confederates  pursuing  and  yelling,  negroes  and  abolitionists  beg- 
ging for  mercy,  tents  and  houses  burning,  torches  flaming,  guns 
popping,  sabers  clanking,  women  in  dreaming  robes,  clapping 
their  hands  with  joy  and  shouting  encouragement  to  the  raiders, 
a  mass  of  frantic  human  beings,  presenting  in  the  early  morning 
hour  a  picture  which  words  would  not  pretend  to  portray.' 

"  Van  Dorn  always  kept  his  pursuers  at  a  respectful  distance 
and  beat  off  all  who  attempted  to  intercept  him,  and  finally  re- 
turned to  Grenada.  The  paper  concludes  as  follows : 


236  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

"  '  We  had  accomplished  one  of  the  most  daring  and  success- 
ful raids  of  the  war.  In  consequence  of  losing  so  important  a 
post  as  Holly  Springs,  Col.  Murphy  was  dismissed  from  the 
service  in  a  stinging  order  by  Gen.  Grant,  to  take  effect  on 
December  20,  the  day  of  his  capture.  The  destruction  of  the 
stores  in  Holly  Springs  was  an  irreparable  loss  to  Grant.  His 
army  was  thus  suddenly  deprived  of  sustenance.  The  Missis- 
sippi Central  terminated  at  Jackson,  Tenn.,  and  Forrest  from  this 
point  had  completely  destroyed  the  Mobile  &  Ohio  Railroad  to 
Columbus,  Ky.  With  the  fear  inspired  by  the  dashing  Van 
Dorn  and  the  reckless  Forrest,  Grant  saw  that  he  could  not  main- 
tain a  railroad  in  working  order.  Hence  deeming  his  position 
untenable,  he  fell  back  to  reopen  communication  with  Memphis. 
He  would  not  undertake  to  subsist  his  army  on  the  country  with 
Pemberton  in  his  front  and  the  dare-devil  cavalry  on  flank  and  in 
his  rear.  He  wisely  determined  to  abandon  this  line  altogether  and 
to  move  his  army  down  the  Mississippi  River  from  Memphis  to 
Vicksburg. 

"  '  Sherman,  in  the  meantime,  ignorant  of  what  had  happened 
at  Holly  Springs  and  of  Grant's  retreat,  had  proceeded  to  carry 
out  his  part  of  the  prearranged  program  and  had  landed  his 
forces  on  the  bank  of  the  Yazoo,  attacking  S.  D.  Lee  at  Chicka- 
saw  Bayou.  It  is  claimed  that  Sherman  might  not  have  failed  so 
completely  if  Grant  could  have  pushed  on  and  held  Pemberton's 
forces  in  his  front,  thus  preventing  timely  reinforcement  of  Lee. 

"'In  conclusion,  I  may  join  with  Comrade  Barren,  of  the 
Third  Texas,  in  the  statement  that  from  the  beginning  of  this 
raid  into  Holly  Springs  I  was  under  the  command  of  Van  Dorn 
till  his  untimely  death  at  Spring  Hill,  Tenn.  Speaking  from 
memory,  and  after  an  experience  of  four  years  in  the  Confed- 
erate cavalry  under  various  leaders,  including  the  intrepid  Arm- 
strong, the  "  Game-Cock  "  Chalmers,  the  cautious  "  Red  "  Jack- 
son, and  that  all-round  successful  soldier,  Stephen  D.  Lee,  I 
must  express  the  deliberate  opinion  that  a  more  chivalrous  soldier 
did  not  draw  battle-blade  in  either  army  than  Earl  Van  Dorn ; 
and  as  a  cavalry  commander  I  do  not  believe  he  had  a  superior 
on  the  continent  of  America.' ' 

Mr.  Stevenson's  version  is  also  given,  as  follows : 

"  I  was  a  member  of  Company  F,  of  the  Third  Texas  Cavalry, 
Ross'  Brigade,  and  after  the  battle  at  Corinth  we  fell  back  to 


Holly  Springs.  237 

Holly  Springs,  thence  to  Lumpkin's  Mill,  where  we  were  rein- 
forced. We  then  fell  back  below  Grenada,  and  one  evening,  dur- 
ing a  brisk  rain,  we  received  orders  to  cook  three  days'  rations, 
and  be  ready  to  move  at  a  moment's  warning.  A  short  time  after 
night  the  bugle  sounded  '  saddle  up.'  We  mounted  without 
knowing  where  we  were  going.  We  moved  through  Grenada 
and  turned  in  a  northeasterly  direction,  and  between  midnight 
and  day  the  rain  ceased,  the  clouds  cleared  away,  the  stars  were 
bright,  and  by  daylight  there  was  considerable  frost  on  the 
ground.  We  passed  on  up  through  Pontotoc  and  several  other 
small  towns.  When  within  twenty  or  twenty-five  miles  of  Holly 
Springs  we  halted,  fed  our  horses,  and  drew  a  little  tough  beef, 
our  rations  being  nearly  exhausted.  Gen.  Van  Dorn  sent  word 
around  to  '  the  boys  '  to  make  out  the  best  they  could,  as  by 
the  next  morning  he  would  have  plenty  for  them.  A  little  after 
dark  we  mounted  and  moved  out  toward  Holly  Springs.  A 
scout  was  sent  ahead  to  capture  the  Yankee  pickets,  which  was 
done  by  our  scouts  getting  between  them  and  the  town.  We 
were  marched  up  near  town,  and  waited  a  short  time  until  day 
dawned,  when  we  charged  the  town.  When  we  passed  in,  see- 
ing Gen.  Van  Dorn  on  a  little  rise,  seated  on  his  fine  black  mare, 
holding  his  hat  above  his  head,  I  thought  him  as  fine  a  general 
as  I  had  ever  seen.  As  we  dashed  down  one  of  the  main  streets, 
by  a  two-story  residence  on  the  right,  there  were  on  the  little 
front  portico  up-stairs  two  ladies,  mother  and  daughter  doubtless, 
in  their  night  dresses,  both  jumping  up  and  down  and  clapping 
their  hands,  one  of  them  crying  at  the  top  of  her  voice :  '  I  told 
the  Yankees  our  boys  would  come  in  here  and  catch  them.  I  told 
them  so ! '  Both  seemed  to  be  as  happy  as  mortals  could  possibly 
be.  We  captured  everything  but  a  few  Yankees  that  jumped  on 
their  horses  without  waiting  to  dress,  bare-backed,  and  most  of 
them  bare-headed.  We  got  all  the  provisions  we  wanted,  and 
plenty  of  guns,  six-shooters,  clothing,  and  horses.  We  burned 
iarge  supplies  for  Grant's  army.  I  understood  that  Mrs.  Grant 
was  in  the  town,  and  that  Gen.  Van  Dorn  put  a  guard  around 
the  house  she  occupied  until  we  left.  He  paroled  about  2,700 
prisoners,  and  we  then  proceeded  up  the  main  lines  of  railroads, 
tearing  them  up  and  burning  most  of  the  bridges  nearlv  up  to 
Bolivar,  Tenn.  We  had  a  hard  engagement  at  Davis'  Mill,  the 
enemy  being  in  a  blockhouse.  We  also  had  a  severe  engagement 


238  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

at  Middleburg,  Term.,  the  enemy  being  in  a  large  brick  house, 
and  we  having  no  artillery  with  which  to  dislodge  them.  We 
then  turned  south  and  made  our  way  back.  Gen.  Grant  thought 
to  cut  us  off  at  Ripley  with  his  cavalry,  but  we  beat  them.  While 
we  were  resting  and  taking  a  scant  dinner,  they  attacked  Col. 
Dudley  Games'  regiment,  which  was  on  picket,  and  he  had  a 
light  engagement  until  we  had  time  to  move  out.  We  then  made 
our  way  back  to  the  main  army  at  Grenada.  The  raid  was  a 
complete  success,  and,  I  understood,  prevented  Grant  from  taking 
Vicksburg  until  the  next  year,  which  he  did  by  way  of  the  river." 

Gen.  Grant,,  in  his  Memoirs,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  431—435,  says: 

"  Pemberton's  force  in  my  front  was  the  main  part  of  the  gar- 
rison of  Vicksburg,  as  the  force  with  me  was  the  defense  of  the 
territory  held  by  us  in  West  Tennessee  and  Kentucky.  I  hoped 
to  hold  Pemberton  in  my  front  while  Sherman  should  get  in  his 
rear  and  into  Vicksburg.  The  further  north  the  enemy  could 
be  held  the  better. 

"  It  was  understood,  however,  between  Gen.  Sherman  and  my- 
self that  our  movements  were  to  be  cooperative;  if  Pemberton 
could  not  be  held  away  from  Vicksburg  I  was  to  follow  him ;  but 
at  that  time  it  was  not  expected  to  abandon  the  railroad  north  of 
the  Yallabusha.  With  that  point  as  a  secondary  base  of  supplies, 
the  possibility  of  moving  down  the  Yazoo  until  communications 
could  be  opened  with  the  Mississippi  was  contemplated. 

"  It  was  my  intention,  and  so  understood  by  Sherman  and  his 
command,  that  if  the  enemy  should  fall  back  I  would  follow  him 
even  to  the  gates  of  Vicksburg.  I  intended  in  such  an  event  to 
hold  the  road  to  Grenada,  on  the  Yallabusha,  and  cut  loose  from 
here,  expecting  to  establish  a  new  base  of  supplies  on  the  Yazoo, 
or  at  Vicksburg  itself,  with  Grenada  to  fall  back  upon  in  case  of 
failure.  It  should  be  remembered  that  at  the  time  I  speak  of  it 
had  not  been  demonstrated  that  an  army  could  operate  in  an 
enemy's  territory  depending  upon  the  country  for  supplies.  A 
halt  was  called  at  Oxford  with  the  advance  seventeen  miles  south 
of  there,  to  bring  up  the  road  to  the  latter  point  and  to  bring 
supplies  of  food,  forage  and  munitions  to  the  front. 

"  On  the  i8th  of  December  I  received  orders  from  Washington 
to  divide  my  command  into  four  army  corps,  with  Gen. 
McClernand  to  command  one  of  them  and  to  be  assigned  to  that 
part  of  the  army  which  was  to  operate  down  the  Mississippi. 


Holly  Springs.  239 

This  interfered  with  my  plans,  but  probably  resulted  in  my  ulti- 
mately taking  the  command  in  person.  McClemand  was  at  that 
time  in  Springfield,  111.  The  order  was  obeyed  without  any 
delay.  Despatches  were  sent  him  the  same  day  in  conformity. 

"  On  the  2oth  Gen.  Van  Dorn  appeared  at  Holly  Springs,  my 
secondary  base  of  supplies,  captured  the  garrison  of  1,500  men. 
commanded  by  Col.  Murphy,  of  the  Eighth  Wisconsin  Regiment, 
and  destroyed  all  our  munitions  of  war,  food,  and  forage.  The 
capture  was  a  disgraceful  one  to  the  officer  commanding,  but  not 
to  the  troops  under  him.  At  the  same  time  Forrest  got  on  our 
line  of  railroad  between  Jackson,  Tenn.,  and  Columbus,  Ky., 
doing  much  damage  to  it.  This  cut  me  off  from  all  communica- 
tion with  the  North  for  more  than  a  week,  and  it  was  more  than 
two  weeks  before  rations  or  forage  could  be  issued  from  stores 
obtained  in  the  regular  way.  This  demonstrated  the  impossibil- 
ity of  maintaining  so  long  a  line  of  road  over  which  to  draw  sup- 
plies for  an  army  moving  in  an  enemy's  country.  I  determined, 
therefore,  to  abandon  my  campaign  into  the  interior  with  Colum- 
bus as  a  base,  and  returned  to  La  Grange  and  Grand  Junction, 
destroying  the  road  to  my  front  and  repairing  the  road  to  Mem- 
phis, making  the  Mississippi  River  the  line  over  which  to  draw 
supplies.  Pemberton  was  falling  back  at  the  same  time. 

"  The  moment  I  received  the  news  of  Van  Dorn's  success  I 
sent  the  cavalry  at  the  front  back  to  drive  him  from  the  country. 
He  had  start  enough  to  move  north,  destroying  the  railroad  in 
many  places,  and  to  attack  several  small  garrisons  intrenched  as 
guards  to  the  railroad.  All  these  he  found  warned  of  his  com- 
ing and  prepared  to  receive  him.  Van  Dorn  did  not  succeed  in 
capturing  a  single  garrison  except  the  one  at  Holly  Springs, 
which  was  larger  than  all  the  others  attacked  by  him  put  to- 
gether. Murphy  was  also  warned  of  Van  Dorn's  approach,  but 
,made  no  preparations  to  meet  him.  He  did  not  even  notify  his 
command.  .  .  . 

"  The  surrender  of  Holly  Springs  was  most  reprehensible  and 
showed  either  the  disloyalty  of  Col.  Murphy  or  gross  cowardice. 

"  Our  loss  of  supplies  was  great  at  Holly  Springs,  but  it  was 
more  than  compensated  for  by  those  taken  from  the  country  and 
by  the  lesson  taught. 

"The  news  of  the  capture  of  Holly  Springs  and  the  destruc- 
tion of  our  supplies  caused  much  rejoicing  among  the  people 


240  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

remaining  in  Oxford.  They  came  with  broad  smiles  on  their 
faces,  indicating  intense  joy,  to  ask  what  I  was  going  to  do  now 
without  anything  for  my  soldiers  to  eat.  I  told  them  that  I  was 
not  disturbed;  that  I  had  already  sent  troops  and  wagons  to 
collect  all  the  food  and  forage  they  could  find  for  fifteen  miles 
on  each  side  of  the  road.  Countenances  soon  changed,  and  so 
did  the  inquiry.  The  next  was,  '  What  are  we  to  do  ? '  My  re- 
sponse was  that  we  had  endeavored  to  feed  ourselves  from  our 
own  Northern  resources  while  visiting  them ;  but  their  friends  in 
gray  had  been  uncivil  enough  to  destroy  what  we  had  brought 
along,  and  it  could  not  be  expected  that  men,  with  arms  in  their 
hands,  would  starve  in  the  midst  of  plenty.  I  advised  them  to 
emigrate  east,  or  west,  fifteen  miles  and  assist  in  eating  up  what 
we  left." 

Gen.  Grant  further  states  that : 

"  Vicksburg  was  important  to  the  enemy  because  it  occupied 
the  first  high  ground  coming  close  to  the  river  below  Memphis. 
From  there  a  railroad  runs  east,  connecting  with  other  roads 
leading  to  all  points  of  the  Southern  States.  A  railroad  also 
starts  from  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  extending  west  as  far  as 
Shreveport,  La.  Vicksburg  was  the  only  channel,  at  the  time  of 
the  events  of  which  this  chapter  treats,  connecting  the  parts  of 
the  Confederacy  divided  by  the  Mississippi.  So  long  as  it  was 
held  by  the  enemy,  the  free  navigation  of  the  river  was  pre- 
vented. Hence  its  importance.  Points  on  the  river  between 
Vicksburg  and  Port  Hudson  were  held  as  dependencies ;  but  their 
fall  was  sure  to  follow  the  capture  of  the  former  place. 

"  The  campaign  against  Vicksburg  commenced  on  the  2d  of 
November  (1862),  as  indicated  in  a  despatch  to  the  general-in- 
chief  in  the  following  words :  '  I  have  commenced  a  movement 
on  Grand  Junction,  with  three  divisions  from  Corinth  and  two 
from  Bolivar..  Will  leave  here  (Jackson,  Tenn,)  tomorrow,  and 
take  command  in  person.  If  found  practicable,  I  will  go  to 
Holly  Springs,  and  maybe  Grenada,  completing  railroad  and 

telegraph  as  I  go.' 

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  * 

"  Holly  Springs  I  selected  for  my  depot  of  supplies  and  muni- 
tions of  war,  all  of  which  at  that  time  came  by  rail  from  Colum- 
bus, Ky.,  except  the  few  stores  collected  about  La  Grange  and 
Grand  Junction.  .  .  .  On  the  I5th  of  November,  while  I 


Holly  Springs.  241 

was  still  at  Holly  Springs,  I  sent  word  to  Sherman  to  meet  me 
at  Columbus.  We  were  about  forty-seven  miles  apart,  yet  the 
most  expeditious  way  for  us  to  meet  was  for  me  to  take  the 
rail  to  Columbus,  and  Sherman  a  steamer  for  the  same  place.  At 
that  meeting,  besides  talking  over  my  general  plans,  I  gave  him 
his  orders  to  join  me  with  two  divisions  and  to  march  them  down 
the  Mississippi  Central  Railroad,  if  he  could.  Sherman,  who 
was  always  prompt,  was  up  by  the  2Qth  to  Cottage  Hill,  ten 
miles  north  of  Oxford.  He  brought  three  divisions  with  him, 
leaving  a  garrison  of  only  four  regiments  of  infantry,  a  couple 
of  pieces  of  artillery,  and  a  small  detachment  of  cavalry. 
.  .  .  Pemberton's  force  in  my  front  was  the  main  part  of 
the  garrison  of  Vicksburg,  as  the  force  with  me  was  the  defense 
of  the  territory  held  by  us  in  West  Tennessee  and  Kentucky.  I 
hoped  to  hold  Pemberton  in  my  front  while  Sherman  should  get 
in  his  rear  and  into  Vicksburg.  The  further  north  the  enemy 
could  be  held  the  better.  ...  It  was  my  intention,  and  so 
understood  by  Sherman  and  his  command,  that  if  the  enemy 
should  fall  back  I  would  follow  him  even  to  the  gates  of 
Vicksburg." 

From  this  account  it  will  ba  seen  what  an  important  movement 
was  on  foot  by  Gen.  Grant,  who  was  commanding  in  person, 
when  he  was  turned  back  from  his  design  to  capture  Vicksburg, 
that  point  being  the  key  to  the  State  of  Mississippi  and  the 
Mississippi  River,  and  how  disastrously  he  was  defeated  in  his 
scheme  to  go  to  the  "  gates  of  Vicksburg,"  by  this  route,  by  the 
capture  of  Holly  Springs  (the  base  of  his  supplies),  by  Gen.  Van 
Dorn. 

After  the  evacuation  of  this  region  of  country  by  Generals  Grant 

and  Sherman,  Gen.  Joseph  E.  Johnston  was  made  the  superior 

officer  to  Bragg  and  Pemberton,  and  Gen.  Van  Dorn  was  given 

command  of  all  the  cavalry  in  North  Mississippi  and  Tennessee, 

tand  was  ordered  to  proceed  to  make  a  campaign  into  Tennessee. 

AN  INTERESTING  INCIDENT. 

"  ABBEVILLE,  Miss.,  Nov.  29,  1862. 
"  To  Gen.  Waul,  'Waul  Legion,'  Rocky  Ford,  Miss. 

"  GENERAL  : 

"  A  few  kind-hearted  and  patriotic  little   schoolgirls   of  my 
native  town,  Port  Gibson,  have  sent  me  a  hundred  pairs  of  fine 
16 


242  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

woolen  socks,  knit  by  their  own  hands,  to  be  distributed  to  the 
Texas  soldiers  of  my  command.  Please  accept  them  for  your 
Legion,  and  give  them  to  those  most  in  need. 

"  You  will  observe  that  these  little  angels  identify  me  with 
Texas.  They  are  right.  I  am  a  Texan,  a  Mississippian  no 
longer,  except  in  my  love  for  the  pure-hearted  children  of  her 
soil  who  have  not  yet  learned  to  make  the  name  and  fame  of  one 
of  her  sons  the  butt  of  malignant  archery.  Bless  them,  they  be- 
long to  no  State,  neither  are  they  cosmopolitan;  they  are  of 
heaven. 

"  Respects  to  your  good  wife,  and,  believe  me,  very  sincerely 
and  respectfully  your  friend  and  obedient  servant, 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN, 

"  Major-General." 

To  which  Gen.  Waul  replied: 

"  HEADQUARTERS  WAUL'S  TEXAS  LEGION, 
"  GRENADA,  Miss.,  December  12,  1862. 
"  MAJ.  GEN.  EARL  VAN  DORN. 
"  MY  DEAR  SIR: 

"  The  most  timely  gift  of  one  hundred  pairs  of  socks,  knit  by 
the  little  girls  of  your  native  town,  have  been  received,  and  in 
compliance  with  your  wishes  distributed  to  the  privates,  now 
needy,  in  the  Legion.  The  value  of  the  present  is  greatly  en- 
hanced by  the  circumstances  under  which  they  have  been 
received. 

"  It  was  peculiarly  fit  and  proper  that  you  should  be  the  organ, 
from  these  pure  and  patriotic  children,  to  Texans,  for,  sir,  we 
have  marked  and  claimed  you  for  our  own  through  the  different 
grades  of  your  deserved  and  honorable  promotion,  and  we  have 
gloried  in  the  advancement  of  the  gallant  soldier  who  wielded 
the  keenest  blade  upon  our  Western  border,  and  has  ever  been 
esteemed  the  mirror  of  gallant  deeds  and  honorable  conduct. 

"  The  Legion  was  raised  and  each  man  enlisted  by  orders  of 
the  Secretary  of  War,  expressly  for  your  command.  The  rapid- 
ity with  which  the  ranks  were  filled,  and  the  character  of  men 
recruited,  was  a  compliment  worthy  of  you. 

"  After  crossing  the  Mississippi  at  Vicksburg,  the  ever  enduring 
monument  of  your  skill  and  valor,  we  found  that  rumor  with  her 
thousand  tongues  was  busy  with  your  reputation,  in  a  manner 


Holly  Springs.  243 

well  calculated  to  weaken  the  confidence  of  the  soldiers  in  this 
command.  Need  I  say  the  evil  reports  fell  upon  unwilling  ears, 
and  although  sufficient  to  awake  observation,  time  and  contact 
have  confirmed  our  appreciation  of  your  merits  as  a  soldier  and  a 
gentleman. 

"  I  feel  proud  in  saying  that  there  is  not  an  officer  in  the  Legion 
who  would  not  glory  to  win  his  spurs  under  your  leadership,  not 
a  man  who  would  not  go  willingly  wherever  you  direct,  knowing 
it  could  only  be  on  the  path  of  duty  and  honor.  , 

"  Will  you  say  to  the  youthful  maidens  of  Port  Gibson,  we 
hope  that  the  history  of  the  Legion  may  be  referred  to  here- 
after by  them  with  the  pleasant  recollection  that  they  had  added 
to  its  comfort,  and  by  their  sympathy  had  awakened  fond  recol- 
lections of  their  own  firesides  and  the  angels  in  their  distant 
homes. 

"  May  no  disappointment  ever  canker  their  young  hearts,  or 
make  what  is  now  the  abode  of  purity  and  trust  a  receptacle  for 
that  spirit  that  believeth  evil  and  slakes  its  thirst  by  evil  speaking. 

"  May  the  freshness  of  their  young  hearts  never  wither  and  the 
same  confidence  they  repose  in  others  be  returned  to  them  a  thou- 
sand-fold. 

"  May  the  love  that  trusteth  all  never  fail,  and  their  future 
be  as  happy  as  their  present  is  guileless. 

"  I  am  most  respectfully  your  friend, 

"  T.  N.  WAUL, 
"  Col.  Commanding  Legion." 


244  A  Soldier's  Honor. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

VISIT   HOME. 

IN  the  latter  part  of  December,  1862,  not  very  long  after  the 
battle  of  Corinth  and  the  capture  of  Holly  Springs,  and  prior  to 
going  into  West  Tennessee  to  take  command  of  a  large  body  of 
cavalry  to  which  he  had  been  assigned,  Gen.  Van  Dorn  took  a 
short  leave  of  absence  to  visit  his  family  in  Alabama,  about 
thirty  miles  north  of  Mobile.  After  the  many  hardships  and 
narrow  escapes  he  had  made  with  his  life  from  cannon  balls, 
shells,  and  pens  (a  weapon  more  deadly  than  either),  this  brief 
reunion  with  his  wife  and  children'  was  a  privilege  and  pleasure 
well  appreciated,  and  which  proved  his  last  meeting  with  them 
on  earth. 

While  at  the  beautiful  new  home  of  his  wife's  mother,  his 
artistic  taste  and  skill  were  called  into  play  in  directing  the  lay- 
ing off  the  grounds  into  flower  beds,  walks,  and  driveways. 
The  hospitable  people  of  the  neighborhood  were  enthusiastic  in 
their  reception  of  him,  and  took  pride  in  entertaining  the  General 
with  fetes  and  evening  parties.  After  a  few  days  he  tore  him- 
self from  his  family  to  resume  his  duties  and  perils,  and  after  his 
departure  his  little  daughter,  who  had  followed  him  around  the 
grounds  in  his  work,  with  her  hands  filled  with  small  stakes, 
found  her  father's  footprints  in  the  shifting  white  sand,  and  drove 
around  each  one  the  little  stakes,  thinking  in  her  infantile  mind 
to  thus  preserve  the  sweet  memory  of  his  visit — a  touching  tribute 
of  affection.  In  her  happiness  at  seeing  her  father  again  after 
so  long  a  separation  she  expressed  it  in  these  lines :  "  My  dear 
Papa  gave  us  an  agreeable  surprise  by  coming  when  we  least 
expected  him ;  he  awakened  me  with  a  kiss,  and  you  mav  well 
imagine  my  joy  and  delight.  He  staid  with  us  a  few  days  only. 
Cousin  Clement  was  with  him.  We  spent  a  pleasant  evening  at 
Mrs.  Calvert's  together,  and  Papa  was  pleased  that  we  had  so 
many  charming  neighbors.  Buddie  (the  son  Earl.  Jr.)  can  read 


Visit  Home.  245 

now  and  write  his  name,  and  the  other  day  wrote  his  name  in  a 
letter  to  Papa."  To  which  Mrs.  Van,  Dorn  adds  a  postscript: 
"  Were  you  not  surprised  to  hear  that  Earl  had  paid  me  a  visit? 
It  was  a  delightful  surprise,  I  assure  you.  He  came  in  immedi- 
ately after  his  expedition  into  West  Tennessee,  where,  I  supposed, 
he  was  up  to  the  time  of  his  arrival  here.  He  said  that  he  would 
never  stay  away  so  long  again.  If  I  had  expected  his  coming  I 
should  have  notified  you  by  telegram.  I  have  read  the  proceed- 
ings of  that  Court  of  Inquiry,  and  everything  was  disproved,  and 
all  the  slanders  the  people  of  his  State  had  circulated  were  repu- 
diated, and  by  those  who  were  with  him  and  knew  him  best.  His 
vindication  was  perfect.  His  friends  in  the  army  stood  by  him, 
while  the  people  of  his  native  State  were  his  enemies.  Does  that 
not  seem  strange?  It  is  not  easy  for  any  man  to  escape  censure, 
and  slander  needs  but  little  labor  to  assist  its  circulation.  He 
has  passed  through  a  severe  ordeal,  but  I  knew  all  the  time  that  my 
General  was  all  right.  Earl  says  that  Earl  Miller  is  very  brave. 
.  .  .  I  have  been  knitting  stockings  for  Olivia,  and  have 
some  homespun  material  to  make  her  a  dress." 


246  A  Soldier's  Honor. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

LAST  DAYS. 

"  Soothsayers  may  menace  and  wives  may  dream  dreams,  but  when  the  hour 
comes,  Caesar  will  go  to  the  appointed  spot  where  the  daggers  of  his  assassins 
await  him." 

GEN.  JOSEPH  E.  JOHNSTON  had  become  the  Confederate  leader 
in  the  West  and  the  superior  of  Bragg  and  Pemberton.  He  sent 
for  Gen.  Van  Dom  and  recognized  that  his  true  place  in  the 
army,  by  reason  of  his  experience  and  his  temperament  and  train-" 
ing,  was  in  the  cavalry  arm  of  the  service.  He  was  also  a  full 
major-general,  and  the  cavalry  brigadiers  would  not  demur  at 
coming  under  his  command.  Gen.  Johnston  placed  him  at  the 
head  of  a  large  body  of  cavalry,  with  Generals  Forrest,  W.  H. 
Jackson  and  Frank  C.  Armstrong  under  him.  With  this  force 
Gen.  Van  Dorn  entered  upon  an  important  campaign  in  Central 
Tennessee,  on  the  flank  of  Gen.  Rosecrans'  army,  in  support  of 
Gen.  Bragg;  and  with  this  combination  was  moving  on  one  of 
the  most  important  expeditions  of  his  life. 

Early  in  March,  1863,  he  lay  at  Spring  Hill,  Tenn.,  skirmishing 
in  the  direction  of  Franklin,  an  outpost  strongly  fortified  by  the 
enemy.  Rosecrans  sent  the  brigades  of  Sheridan  and  Colonel 
Colburn  against  him,  and  in  a  sharp  fight  at  Thompson  Station, 
on  the  5th  of  March,  Colburn's  brigade  was  routed  and  nearly 
all  captured. 

Early  in  April,  rumors  reached  Gen.  Van  Dorm  that  the  enemy 
was  evacuating  Franklin,  and  on  the  loth  he  moved  his  whole 
command  forward  on  a  reconnaissance  in  force,  but  instead  of 
evacuating  the  post  it  was  found  that  the  place  had  been  strength- 
ened in  its  position,  and  the  impetuous  Confederates  were  met  in 
front  with  fortified  batteries,  while  strong  bodies  of  cavalry  fell 
upon  their  flanks.  Gen.  Van  Dorn  then  withdrew  to  Spring 
Hill.  Meanwhile,  Gen.  Rosecrans  and  Gen.  Bragg  stood  at  arm's 
length  watching  each  other,  and  Gen.  Van  Dom's  movements 


Last  Days.  247 

were  awaiting  orders  from  Gen.  Bragg  to  advance.  His  cavalry 
lay  at  this  place  two  weeks.  During  this  time  he  wrote  many 
letters  and  wired  many  telegrams,  some  of  which  will  be  found 
in  the  Appendix. 

A  correspondent  from  the  seat  of  war  writes  thus  of  the  situa- 
tion: 

"  The  commander  of  the  new  organization  is  well  known  to 
the  reading  public.  He  was  a  cavalry  officer  in  the  old  service, 
and  his  merits  rapidly  raised  him  until  he  became  a  brevet  major 
in  the  old  United  States  Army;  Lee  and  Johnston  were  colonels 
in  the  same  Second  Cavalry  in  which  Van  Dorn  was  in  Texas 
at  the  outbreak  of  the  rebellion,  and  he  was  instrumental  in  bring- 
over  to  our  cause  many  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  old  service, 
with  whom  he  was  very  popular.  His  strategy  and  dash  were  at 
once  called  into  requisition  by  the  presence  of  several  large  gar- 
risons of  the  enemy  in  Texas,  which  he  had  assigned  himself  the 
task  of  ejecting.  Raising  a  small  volunteer  force,  he  led  them, 
together  with  a  portion  of  his  old  regular  command,  numbering 
in  all  less  than  300,  and  menaced  a  garrison  of  Yankee  regulars, 
numbering  about  700.  Approaching  the  position  of  the  enemy, 
he  displayed  his  scanty  forces  to  the  best  advantage,  maneuvered 
them  vauntingly  in  sight  of  the  garrison,  and  sent  in  a  demand 
for  its  surrender.  The  enemy  were  greatly  deceived  in  regard  to 
our  numbers,  and  after  a  short  resistance,  the  700  regular  United 
States  troops  surrendered  to  Van  Dorn's  strategy — certainly  not 
to  his  force. 

"  The  next  heard  of  him  was  in  the  brilliant  affair  of  the  cap- 
ture of  the  '  Star  of  the  West,'  the  vessel  sent  out  to  reinforce  and 
provision  Fort  Sumter,  which  passed  on  to  Texas.  Van  Dorn 
learning  of  her  arrival,  gathered  his  determined  Texans  on-  board 
a  steamer,  and  put  out  for  the '  Star  of  the  West ' — the  commander 
of  that  vessel  being  unaware  that  Van  Dorn  was  a  rebel,  and 
believing  him  to  be  in  the  old  service. 

"  In  the  spring  of  1863  he  was  the  chief  commander  of  the 
cavalry  of  Bragg's  army,  then  at  Tullahoma;  he  had  as  brigade 
commanders  Armstrong,  Jackson,  Cosby,  and  Martin,  and  with 
about  8,000  men,  was  preparing  to  move  across  the  Ohio.  His 
command  was  bivouacked  in  the  fertile  region  of  Middle  Tennes- 
see. His  headquarters  were  at  Spring  Hill,  and  almost  daily  he 
would  engage  the  enemy  with  one  of  his  brigades  while  the  other; 


248  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

three  were  carefully  drilled.  His  horses  were  in  fine  order  and 
his  men  in  better  drill,  discipline,  and  spirit  than  our  cavalry  had 
ever  been.  He  was  preparing  to  move  on  the  most  important 
enterprise  of  his  life.  I  believe  that  in  him  we  lost  the  greatest 
cavalry  soldier  of  his  time.  His  knowledge  of  roads  and  country 
was  wonderful.  He  knew  how  to  care  for  his  men  and  horses. 
His  own  wants  were  few ;  his  habits  simple ;  he  was  energetic  and 
enduring ;  he  deferred  everything  to  his  military  duty ;  he  craved 
glory  beyond  everything — high  glory;  there  was  no  stain  of 
vainglory  about  anything  he  ever  did  or  said.  As  the  bravest 
are  ever  the  greatest,  so  was  he  simple  and  kind,  and  gentle  as  a 
child." 

GENERAL  BRAGG's  REPORT  OF  THE  ENGAGEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN 

GENERAL  ORDERS  NO.  68. 
"  HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  TENNESSEE, 

"  TULLAHOMA,  TENN.,  March  31,  1863. 

"  The  General  Commanding  announces  with  pride  and  gratifica- 
tion to  the  troops  of  his  command  two  brilliant  and  successful 
affairs  recently  achieved  by  the  forces  of  the  cavalry  of  Maj.-Gen. 
Van  Dorn. 

"  On  the  5th  inst.  Maj.-Gen.  Van  Dorn  made  a  gallant  charge' 
upon  a  large  force  of  the  enemy  at  Thompson's  Station.  He 
utterly  routed  him,  killing  and  wounded  a  large  number,  captur- 
ing twelve  hundred  and  twenty-one  prisoners,  including  seventy- 
three  commissioned  officers,  and  many  arms. 

"  On  the  23d  inst.,  Brig.-Gen.  Forrest,  with  the  troops  of  his 
command,  daringly  assailed  the  enemy  at  Brentwood,  who  could 
not  withstand  the  vigor  and  energy  of  the  attack  and  surrendered 
— captured.  The  results  of  his  successful  expedition  were  the 
capture  of  seven  hundred  and  fifty  privates  and  thirty-five  com- 
missioned officers,  with  all  their  arms,  accotiterments,  ammunition, 
and  sixteen  wagons  and  teams.  The  troops  here  captured  con- 
stituted the  remainder  of  the  brigade  so  successfully  attacked  by 
Maj.-Gen.  Van  Dorn  on  the  5th  inst. 

"  The  skilful  manner  in  which  these  generals  achieved  their 
success  exhibits  clearly  the  judgment,  discipline,  and  good  con- 
duct of  the  brave  troops  of  their  command. 

"  Such  signal  examples  of  duty  the  General  Commanding  takes 
pleasure  in  commending.  They  are  worthy  of  imitation  by  aU 


Last  Days.  249 

commanders,  and  deserve  the   applause  and  gratitude  of   their 
comrades  in  arms  and  their  country. 

"By  command  of  General  Bragg. 

"  GEORGE  WM.  BRENT,  A.  A.  General 
"Official." 


At  Spring  Hill,  the  headquarters  of  Gen.  Van  Dorn  at  this 
time,  he  and  his  staff  occupied  the  house  of  a  citizen  of  the  town. 
His  bodyguard  encamped  near,  and  the  scene  was  one  of  rest  to 
the  troops,  './ut  one  of  unrest  and  waiting  to  the  commanding 
general.  During  their  stay  at  this  place  the  officers  made  the 
acquaintance  of  members  of  the  family  in  the  house,  and  outside, 
and  among  them  a  number  of  ladies,  who,  like  many  ladies  of 
the  South  and  North  at  that  period  of  peril  and  excitement,  be- 
stowed nany  kindnesses  and  attentions  upon  the  soldiers  of  the 
armies.  One  ol  these  ladies  was  a  married  woman,  whose  hus- 
band v/as  quite  prominent  in  the  affairs  of  the  place,  and  on 
account  of  his  wife's  attentions  to  the  officers,  and  particularly 
to  I'.ie  commanding  officer,  professed  to  be  jealous,  and  made  this 
pretense  a  motive  for  the  dark  deed  which  was  lurking  in  his 
breast.  Gen.  Van  Dorn  being  an  alert,  fearless,  and  skilful  com- 
mander, gave  the  enemy  great  cause  for  watchfulness,  and  to  get 
rid  of  him  and  his  gallant  command  was  a  factor  in  the  affairs 
then  pending. 

On  the  7th  of  May,  1863,  as  Gen.  Van  Dorn  sat  in  his  room 
at  his  desk,  conferring  with  one  of  his  staff,  this  man — this  assas- 
sin— with  evil  design,  but  pretending  friendliness,  entered  the 
room  and  asked  the  favor  of  a  passport  to  go  into  Nashville, 
through  the  Confederate  lines.  The  staff  officer  withdrew,  and 
Gen.  Van  Dorn  turned  to  his  desk  to  write  the  passport,  and 
before  his  full  signature  was  signed  to  the  paper,  on  some  pretext 
the  man  passed  to  his  rear,  fired  the  fatal  bullet  in  the  back  of 
his  head,  and  walked  out — mounted  his  horse;  and,  having  pre- 
pared relays  of  horses  and  left  the  fences  torn  down  through  the 
country,  he  fled  across  the  fields  and  into  the  enemy's  lines,  too 
swiftly  for  the  bodyguard  to  mount  and  pursue  him. 

All  was  excitement  and  confusion,  and  in  the  midst  of  the 
clamor  the  assassin  escaped,  none  too  soon,  for  several  thousand 


250  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

cavalrymen  were  in  hot  pursuit.  Had  they  caught  him  they 
would  have  torn  him  limbless.  He  remained  under  Federal  pro- 
tection until  after  the  war,  and  years  after  the  war,  having 
secured  a  divorce  from  his  wife  (to  give  color  to  a  cause  for  his 
crime),  remarried  his  wife,  whom  he  had  degraded  by  a  false 
pretense  and  motive  for  his  deed.  It  is  stated  that  the  assassin 
went  at  once  to  Nashville  to  claim  his  reward,  and  it  is  a  fact  that 
his  plantation  on  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi,  which  had  been 
confiscated,  was  soon  recovered,  and  he  remained  upon  it  until 
his  death. 

The  dastardly  crime,  however,  led  to  a  series  of  tragedies  in 
the  family  of  the  murderer,  his  daughter  taking  the  black  veil 
for  life,  and  a  son  committed  suicide  after  receiving  a  leter  from 
the  staff  officers  of  Gen.  Van  Dorn,  in  reply  to  one  he  had  written, 
asking  if  it  were  true  that  they  had  resolved  to  take  the  life  of 
his  father  at  sight,  to  which  they  replied  that  they  were  not  assas- 
sins. The  murderer  lived  in  mortal  terror  of  his  life,  his  con- 
science making  a  coward  of  him,  up  to  the  time  of  his  death. 
At  one  time  a  pistol  ball  passed  through  the  pillow  on  which  he 
was  sleeping. 

Various  accounts  of  this  tragedy  have  been  published  in  many 
Southern  and  Northern  papers  which  were  greatly  exaggerated 
and  misrepresented,  and  greatly  to  the  dishonor  and  defamation, 
of  Gen.  Van  Dorn,  but  the  foregoing  statement  of  facts  has  been 
authenticated  by  parties  present  all  the  while,  and  also  by  the  lady 
herself,  who  asserts  that  Gen.  Van  Dorn  never  approached  her 
by  word  or  deed  save  in  the  most  respectful  manner. 

And  thus  passed  away  the  hero  of  a  score  or  more  of  the 
nation's  battles  and  martial  strife.  His  life  had  been  one  fear- 
less of  danger,  reckless,  undaunted,  and  devoted ;  and  he  was  a 
leader — a  most  valuable  factor  for  the  enemy  to  remove. 

Like  a  thunderbolt  from  a  clear  sky,  and  while  on  the  eve  of 
one  of  the  most  daring  expeditions  of  his  career,  these  announce- 
ments came  to  the  army  and  the  devoted  adherents  of  Earl  Van 
Dorn : 

"  Telegram.  TULLAHOMA,  Tenn.,  May  7,  1863. 

"To 

"  GENERAL  S.  COOPER, 

"  Adjutant-General  Richmond,  Va. 

"SiR: — I  have  just  received  the  painful  intelligence  of  the 


Last  Days.  251 

death  of  the   distinguished   Ma j. -Gen.   Earl  Van  Dorn,   which 
occurred  this  morning  at  Spring  Hill. 

"  J.  E.  JOHNSON,  General." 

By  order  of  Gen.  W.  H.  Jackson,  the  following  eloquent  an- 
nouncement was  given  out  in  General  Order  No.  3 : 

(Mobile  Register,  May  G,  1863.) 
"  HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  CAVALRY  CORPS, 

"  SPRING  HILL,  TENNV  May  7,  1863. 
"  General  Orders  No.  3. 

"  It  becomes  the  sad  duty  of  the  Brig.-General  Commanding  to 
announce  to  this  corps  the  death  of  its  late  beloved  and  gallant 
commander,  Maj.-Gen.  Earl  Van  Dorn.  He  departed  this  life  at 
i  o'clock  P.  M.  to-day.  The  sorrow  with  which  his  death  is 
announced  will  be  deeply  felt  by  the  country  arid  by  this  corps; 
for  to  it  his  loss  is  an  irreparable  one.  His  career  has  been  event- 
ful— an  educated  soldier,  he  has  served  with  distinction  in  the 
armies  of  his  country  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century,  with 
varied  successes,  at  times  shrouded  and  enveloped  in  the  gloom 
of  defeat — at  others  his  career  made  resplendent  with  the  most 
glorious  victories ;  but  in  the  midst  of  it  all  he  has  presented  the 
same  calm  intrepid  front ;  self-sustaining,  self-reliant,  he  bared 
his  breast  to  every  shock  with  that  true  genuine  nobleness  and 
courage  which  he  so  eminently  possessed.  At  the  commencement 
of  the  present  war  he  occupied  a  very  high  position  in  the  army  of 
the  United  States,  which  he  had  won  for  himself  by  his  own 
valor  arid  military  skill,  unaided  by  any  influence  from  powerful 
friends.  Upon  the  dismemberment  of  the  Federal  Union,  he  was 
amongst  the  first  to  resign  his  position,  and  espouse  the  cause  of  his 
native  State,  Mississippi,  by  whose  authority  he  was  placed  in 
command  of  her  forces  second  only  to  Jefferson  Davis.  Prob- 
ably more  interest  has  gathered  around  him  than  any  other 
general  officer  on  this  Continent ;  for  amidst  the  glory  that  his 
deeds  had  won  for  himself,  a  storm  of  obloquy  and  censure  burst  \ 
upon  him  at  one  time,  and  his  friends  trembled  for  his  safety; 
but  with  his  wonted  calmness  steadily  and  bravely  he  met  his 
relentless  enemies  and  hurled  every  charge  triumphantly  and 
proudly  back  upon  them,  making  for  himself  a  complete  and 
magnificent  vindication.  It  stands  upon  record.  It  is  enrolled 
in  the  archives  of  the  nation. 

"  Upon  the  battle-field  he  was  the  personification  of  courage 


252  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

and  chivalry.  No  knight  of  the  olden  time  ever  advanced  to  the 
contest  more  eagerly,  and  after  the  fury  of  the  conflict  had  passed 
away,  none  was  ever  more  generous  and  humane  to  the  sufferers 
than  he.  As  a  commanding  officer  he  was  warmly  beloved  and 
highly  respected ;  as  a  gentleman  his  social  qualities  were  of  the 
rarest  order — for  goodness  of  heart  he  had  no  equal. 

"  His  deeds  have  rendered  his  name  worthy  to  be  enrolled  by 
.the  side  of  the  proudest  in  the  Capital  of  the  Confederacy,  and 
long  will  be  sacredly  and  proudly  cherished  in  the  hearts  of  his 
command. 

"  By  order  of  Brig.-Gen.  W.  H.  Jackson, 

"  GEO.  MORMAN,  Capt.  &  A.  A.  General. 

"  May  15,  1863." 

(Mobile  Register.) 
"  May  7,  1863." 

DEATH  OF  GENERAL  VAN  DORN. 

"  The  news  this  morning  of  the  violent  death  of  Gen.  Van  Dora 
will  be  received  with  surprise  and  sorrow  by  the  public.  We 
have  at  this  writing  no  particulars  of  the  sad  business,  except  that 
he  was  assassinated,  and  that  the  assassin  had  escaped. 

"  Gen.  Van  Dorn  was  every  inch  a  soldier  and  just  beginning  to 
reap  the  reward  of  public  confidence  and  praise.  His  loss  will 
be  severely  felt  in  that  branch  of  the  service  of  which  he  was  so 
complete  a  master. 


An  eyewitness  writes: 

"  As  we  watched  the  immense  procession  of  soldiers,  the  hearse 
drawn  by  six  white  horses,  its  gorgeous  array  of  white  and  black 
plumes,  that  bore  the  grand  casket  in  which  the  dead  hero  lay,  we 
thought  with  sorrow  of  the  handsome  face  still  in  death  and  the 
heart-broken  wife  thus  cruelly  widowed." 

After  lying  in  state  in  Columbia,  Tenn.,  the  remains  of  Gen. 
Van  Dorn  were  conveyed  by  members  of  his  staff  to  the  home  of 
his  wife  in  Alabama,  and  there  deposited  beneath  the  sighing 
pines  of  that  State.  The  following  lines  from  a  staff  officer  wiU 
better  describe  the  sorrowful  rites  attending  the  last  scenes  of 
the  burial  of  Gen.  Van  Dorn.  His  little  daughter  was  the  chief 


Last  Days.  253 

mourner  visible  at  his  bier,  the  wife  being  too  much  prostrated  by 
grief  to  leave  her  room. 

"  I  have  the  most  vivid  recollection  of  all  the  incidents  attend- 
ing the  great  military  procession  to  his  grave  (the  remains  after 
lying  in  state  in  the  court-house  at  Columbia,  Tenn.,  for  a  day, 
having  been  temporarily  deposited  in  the  family  vault  of  the 
Polks  (Gen.  Lucius  Folk's  first  wife  and  mother  of  all  his  children 
having  been  one  of  the  Donelson  cousins),  and  my  journey  with  a 
guard  of  honor  to  Col.  Godbold's  house,  and  the  burial  there 
under  the  sighing  pines,  about  forty  yards  from  the  house,  and 
the  exquisite  little  Olivia,  weeping  and  clinging  to  my  hand  as 
she  walked  to  the  grave  as  chief  mourner — Mrs.  Van  Dorn  re- 
maining in  her  room.  Poor  little  Olivia  was  the  most  charming 
child  at  twelve  years  of  age  I  ever  saw ;  it  was  only  in  the  month 
of  January  preceding  that  I  had  gone  to  Mt.  Vernon  to  hasten  the 
General's  return  to  the  army  in  obedience  to  a  telegram  from  Gen. 
Johnston,  and  had  made  the  above  remark  to  him,  and  his  face 
at  once  glowed  with  tenderness  as  he  rejoined  that,  '  for  years 
she  had  always  reminded  him  of  some  exquisite  melody/  and  re- 
cited some  original  lines  addressed  to  his  daughter: 

"  In  the  desert  of  my  life  is  a  fountain  of  bright  water 
That  keeps  one  oasis  of  its  sands  ever  green, 
'Tis  the  sheen  of  an  angel,  'tis  the  eye  of  my  daughter 
That  gladdens  my  heart  with  its  love-lighted  beam." 

The  family  burial  spot  at  Port  Gibson  was  at  the  time  of  Gen. 
Van  Dorn's  death  in  the  lines  of  the  enemy,  and  the  remains 
could  not  be  taken  to  that  place,  which  would  have  been  the 
proper  one  for  their  sepulture  beside  his  father  and  mother.  But 
many  years  after,  the  sacred  remains  were  removed  to  his  native 
place  and  laid  there ;  and  though  no  sculptured  marble  may  arise 
to  his  memory,  nor  engraved  stone  record  his  deeds,  yet  the  pages 
of  history  must  embalm  his  memory.  Marble  will  crumble  and 
ail  impressions  upon  stone  crumble  and  fade  away;  but  his  name 
will  stand  upon  the  pages  of  American  history  while  the  nation 
remains  a  nation  of  heroes,  and  men  who  recognize  with  justice 
the  treasured  honor  of  the  soldiers,  whose  bodies  lie  buried,  but 
whose  names  will  live  forever. 

The  Northern  and  Southern  press  published  so  many  false 
rumors  regarding  the  circumstances  that  led  to  the  death  of  Gen. 


254  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

Van  Dorn,  that  his  staff  officers  gave  out  a  reliable  statement  of 
the  sad  occurrence  as  they  knew  the  facts  to  be.  The  assassin 
made  many  absurd  statements  to  save  himself  from  lynching; 
at  one  time  being  captured  while  at  his  plantation  by  scouts  from 
the  cavalry  command  of  Gen.  W.  H.  Jackson,  who  had  to  double 
the  guard  around  the  man  to  save  his  life  from  infuriated  Texas 
troops.  He  was  taken  to  the  headquarters  of  Gen.  Polk,  and 
upon  his  false  representations  and  other  influences,  obtained  his 
release  on  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus. 

"  MOBILE,  May  15,  1863. 
"  Editors  Advertiser  and  Register: 

"  We,  the  undersignedj  members  of  the  late  Gen.  Van  Dora's, 
staff,  having  seen  with  pain  and  regret  the  various  rumors  afloat 
in  the  public  press,  in  relation  to  the  circumstances  attending  that 
officer's  death,  deem  it  our  duty  to  make  a  plain  statement  of  the 
facts  in  the  case. 

"  Gen.  Van  Dorn  was  shot  in  his  own  room,  at  Spring  Hill, 
Tenn.,  by  a  citizen  of  the  neighborhood.  He  was  shot  in  the  back 
of  the  head,  while  engaged  in  writing  at  his  table,  and  entirely 
unconscious  of  any  meditated  hostility  on  the  part  of  the  man  who 
had  been  left  in  the  room  with  him  apparently  in  friendly  con- 
versation, scarce  fifteen  minutes  previously,  by  Maj.  Kimmel. 
Neither  Gen.  Van  Dorn  nor  ourselves  were  suspicious  in  the 
slightest  degree  of  enmity  in  the  mind  of  the  assassin,  or  we 
would  certainly  not  have  left  them  alone  together,  nor  would  Gen. 
Van  Dorn  have  been  shot,  as  we  found  him  five  minutes  later 
sitting  in  his  chair,  with  his  back  towards  his  enemy. 

"  There  had  been  friendly  visits  between  them  up  to  the  very 
date  of  the  unfortunate  occurrence. 

"  Gen.  Van  Dorn  had  never  seen  the  daughter  of  his  murderer 
but  once ;  while  his  acquaintance  with  the  wife  was  such  as  to 
convince  us,  his  staff  officers,  who  had  every  opportunity  of 
knowing,  that  there  was  no  improper  intimacy  between  them; 
and  for  our  own  part,  we  are  led  to  believe  that  there  were  other 
and  darker  motives,  from  the  fact  that  the  assassin  had  taken  the. 
oath  of  allegiance  to  the  United  States  Government,  while  in 
Nashville  two  weeks  previously — as  we  are  informed  by  refugees 
from  that  city — that  he  had  remarked  in  Columbia,  a  short  time 
before,  '  that  he  had  lost  his  land  and  negroes  in  Arkansas,  but 
he  thought  he  would  shortly  do  something  which  would  get  thcr.il 


Last  Days.  255 

back  ';  and  finally,  that  having  beforehand  torn  down  fences  and 
prepared  relays  of  horses,  he  made  his  escape  across  the  coun- 
try direct  to  the  enemy's  lines. 

"  Such  is  the  simple  history  of  the  affair,  and  we  trust  that  in 
bare  justice  to  the  memory  of  a  gallant  soldier,  the  papers  that 
have  given  publicity  to  the  false  rumors  above  alluded  to — 
rumors  alike  injurious  to  the  living  and  to  the  dead — will  give 
place  in  their  columns  to  this  vindication  of  his  name. 

"  M.  H.  KIMMEL,  Maj.  and  A.  A.  G. 

"  W.  C.  SCHAUMBURG,  A.  A.  G. 

"  CLEMENT  SULIVANE,  Aide-de-Ccmp. 
"  R.  SHOEMAKER,  Aide-de-Camp." 

At  the  time  of  the  death  of  Col.  J.  F.  H.  Claiborne,  of  Missis- 
sippi, he  was  engaged  in  writing  a  history  of  the  State  and  its 
public  men.  He  was  a  well-known  author  and  journalist,  and  a 
distinguished  citizen  of  the  State,  who  was  cotemporaneous  with 
its  greatest  men  as  well  as  the  most  interesting  periods  of  its  his- 
tory. No  man  was  better  equipped  for  the  work  than  he,  hence 
his  loss  is  irreparable,  and  many  important  events  and  inter- 
esting scenes  which  he  was  preparing  to  perpetuate  will  be 
lost  forever  from  the  historv  of  Mississippi.  In  a  letter  to  a 
staff  officer  of  Gen.  Van  Dorn,  he  said :  "  I  am  extremely 
anxious  to  write  an  elaborate  memoir  of  the  heroic  service  of 
Earl  Van  Dorn,  because  I  had  known  him  from  his  boyhood, 
and  his  father  was  one  of  my  earliest  personal  and  political 
friends.  I  wish  to  write  the  General's  vindication  as  a  soldier 
and  as  a  man,  and  I  am  anxious  to  place  him  on  the  highest 
ground,  and  my  vindication  above  criticism.  His  career  in 
Mexico,  in  Texas,  and  in  the  first  years  of  the  Civil  War,  must 
all  be  set  forth,  and  I  will  proceed  with  my  task,  which  to  me  will 
be  a  labor  of  love.  He  was  the  most  brilliant,  high-toned  man  that 
this  State  ever  gave  birth  to ;  he  reflected  luster  on  her  es- 
cutcheon ;  he  was  basely  traduced,  and  there  is  no  labor  that  would 
give  me  more  satisfaction  than  to  rebuke  his  slanderers  by  the 
recapitulation  of  his  noble  deeds,  and  by  a  faithful  portraiture  of 
his  many  virtues  and  lofty  attainments." 

As  a  feeble  substitute  for  Col.  Claiborne's  facile  and  trenchant 
pen,  this  sketch  is  given  as  a  small  part  of  the  task  he  had  in 
hand. 


256  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

In  1899  the  remains  of  General  Van  Dorn  were  removed  from 
their  neglected  resting  place  in  Alabama  and  reinterred  in  the 
cemetery  at  Port  Gibson  beside  his  parents.  His  wife  and 
daughter  had  died,  the  place  in  Alabama  had  passed  into  stranger 
hands,  and  after  an  interment  of  thirty  and  more  years  the 
grave  disclosed  his  soft  light  hair,  and  all  the  emblems  of  his 
rank — the  belt,  buckle,  buttons,  and  epaulettes  of  his  military 
clothing.  In  the  beautiful  cemetery  at  Port  Gibson  a  simple 
pine  board  marks  the  spot  where  he  lies,  with  the1  blue  sky  he 
loved  so  well  spanning  in  one  arch  his  grave  and  the  home  of 
his  birth,  and  bears  upon  it  the  name  of  Major-General  Earl  Van 
Dorn.  The  earth  is  a  noble  sepulcher  for  one  of  America's 
soldiers — hero,  warrior,  patriot, — and  in  the  hearts  of  his  com- 
rades is  enshrined  a  memorial  to  his  deeds,  character,  and 
memorable  service. 

Thus,  in  these  pages,  has  passed  in  review  the  birth,  family 
associations,  education,  military  career,  and  the  public  and 
private  character  of  an  American  soldier  and  citizen,  who  won 
his  rank  by  his  indomitable  energy,  patriotic  devotion,  and  tender 
love  for  the  land  of  his  birth,  and  his  zeal  in  defense  of  what 
he  deemed  his  right,  his  inheritance,  and  his  HONOR. 

When  a  citizen  is  assailed  and  calumny  takes  the  place  of 
applause,  and  when  the  grave  has  closed  over  a  brave  man  and 
rendered  him  defenseless,  it  becomes  the  sacred  duty  of  the 
biographer  to  rescue  his  name  and  fame  from  injustice  and  ingrat- 
itude. Shakespeare  says :  "  Men's  evil  manners  live  in  brass ; 
we  write  their  virtues  in  water,"  and  what  is  called  fame  or  repu- 
tation is  but  a  bubble  to  be  exploded  with  a  breath. 

Telemachns  said  to  Menelaus :  "  I  ask  thee  not  to  soften  aught 
in  the  sad  history  through  tenderness  to  me,  or  kind  regard,  but 
tell  me  plainly  all  that  thou  dost  know,  and  let  me  have  the 
naked  truth."  The  friendship  of  books  never  dies,  but  that  of 
man  perishes  in  life ;  therefore,  let  books  be  written  and  the 
truth  be  told  that  the  motives  and  deeds  of  the  actors  that  make 
history  may  be  rightfully  judged." 

REMINISCENCES. 

The  appended  eloquent  and  graphic  reminiscences  of  facts 
and  incidents  connected  with  the  campaigns  and  life  of  General 


Last  Days.  257 

Van  Dorn  do  him  full  justice  and  will  be  read  with  pleasure  by 
surviving  frietads  who  knew  him  best  and  who  appreciated  his 
genial  and  social  qualities  through  an  eventful  and  perilous  mili- 
tary career. 

DASHING  GENERAL  VAN  DORN. 

THRILLING  EPISODES  IN  THE  CAREER  OF  A  CONFEDERATE  LEADER. 

(From  the  San  Francisco  Visitor.) 

"  The  bullet  of  the  assassin  which  cut  short  the  military  career 
of  General  Van  Dorn  in  the  spring  of  1863  undoubtedly  changed 
the  course  of  the  minor,  if  not  of  the  greater,  events  of  the  war 
in  the  .West.  Forrest's  exploits  from  1862  to  1865  showed  that 
great  service  could  be  rendered  the  Confederacy  by  mounted 
men  led  by  dashing  commanders.  Van  Dorn  had  all  of  Forrest's 
personal  courage  and  restless  energy,  and  he  had  at  the  outset 
what  Forrest  won  only  by  slow  and  painful  effort — the  confi- 
dence and  approval  of  his  superiors,  and  at  the  moment  of  his 
tragic  death  was  at  the  head  of  a  corps  of  cavalry  in  a  field  offer- 
ing every  advantage  for  brilliant  results.  Forrest  was  at  the 
time  a  brigade  commander  under  Van  Dorn,  and  the  death  of 
the  leader  broke  up  the  corps. 

"  Van  Dorn  entered  the  fight  in  1861  with  the  prestige  of  a 
trained  West  Point  soldier  who  had  seen  hard  service,  and,  more- 
over, he  was  a  cavalryman  with  a  record.  He  had  served  in  the 
border  troubles  in  Mexico,  and  against  the  wild  Apaches  and 
Comanches,  and  his  name  was  a  familiar  one  in  many  a  home 
in  the  Southwest,  where  the  veterans  of  those  wars  recounted 
the  deeds  of  their  comrades  into  the  receptive  ears  of  the  boys 
growing  up  to  be  warriors,  too,  when  the  time  came.  In  thd 
news  from  Cerro  Gordo,  Van  Dorn  had  been  gazetted  a  hero; 
so,  too,  at  Cherubusco,  Chapultepec,  and  the  gates  of  Mexico  he 
had  come  off  with  scars  and  brevets. 

"  When  the  Southern  army  was  regularly  organized  Van 
Dorn's  promotion  was  rapid,  for  he  was  under  the  eyes  of  men 
who  knew  his  record,  and,  in  fact,  had  served  with  him  while  he 
was  making  it.  He  entered  the  Confederate  service  as  Colonel 
of  Cavalry  in  March,  1861,  and  before  the  year  closed  was  a 
17 


258  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

Major-General,  commanding  the  Trans-Mississippi  department. 
This  last  assignment  was  given  him  while  he  was  in  Virginia. 
He  hastened  to  the  field  of  action,  which  was  along  the  Missouri 
and  Arkansas  border,  with  his  plans  laid  for  a  campaign.  He 
would  attack  St.  Louis,  break  up  the  Union  headquarters  there, 
cross  to  Illinois,  and  erect  powerful  batteries,  and  so  control  the 
upper  Mississippi  channel  and  hold  Missouri  to  the  Confederacy. 

"  The  people  of  the  West  who  sided  with  the  Confederacy  took 
hope,  for  they  looked  upon  the  dashing  and  graceful,  though 
small  statured,  Van  Dorn  as  a  young  Napoleon  and  a  savior. 

"  General  Sterling  Price  was  at  the  head  of  an  army  of  Mis- 
sourians,  organized  for  State  defense  against  the  Federal  Gov- 
ernment, and  lay  at  Springfield,  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
State.  Van  Dorn  at  once  ordered  all  the  Confederate  forces  in 
the  Southwest  to  report  to  Price,  and  to  his  own  headquarters  at 
Pocahontas,  just  across  the  border  in  Arkansas.  Before  the 
concentration  of  forces  could  be  effected  Price  was  driven*  out 
of  Springfield  and  across  the  border  by  a  strong  Union  force) 
under  General  S.  R.  Curtis.  Van  Dorn  then  turned  his  attention 
to  Curtis  and  pushed  all  the  scattering  detachments  forward  to 
Price's  camp.  Curtis  had  followed  Price  into  Arkansas  and  held 
a  strong  position  in  the  mountains.  On  the  4th  of  March,  1862, 
Van  Dorn  moved  against  Curtis  with  16,000  men,  divided  into 
two  columns.  A  force  of  10,000  men,  led  by  Generals  Ben  Mc- 
Culloch  and  James  Mclntosh,  was  ordered  to  begin  a  direct 
attack,  while  Van  Dorn  and  Price  would  make  a  detour  and 
strike  the  Union  army  on  the  flank.  This  turning  column  was 
pushed  out  on  the  night  of  the  6th  with  secrecy  and  boldness 
worthy  of  a  '  Stonewall '  Jackson. 

"  The  battle  was  joined  on  all  sides  on  the  afternoon  of  the  7th 
of  March  on  the  field  known  as  Pea  Ridge.  The  column  under 
Van  Dorn  and  Price  carried  everything  before  it,  but  nightfall 
put  a  stop  to  the  movement,  just  when  victory  was  within  grasp. 
McCulloch  and  Mclntosh  had  not  done  so  well,  however.  Both 
of  these  leaders  had  fallen,  and  General  Hebert,  who  took  chief 
command  when  they  fell,  was  a  prisoner.  On  the  morning  of 
the  8th  Van  Dorn  found  that  Curtis  had  taken  up  a  new  position, 
and  that  the  main  column  of  his  own  army  was  badly  broken  up 
by  its  experiences  of  the  previous  day.  He  renewed  the  battle 
without  success. 


Last  Days.  259 

"  This  took  place  a  month  before  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Mississippi,  and  at  that  vtfry  time  General  Hal- 
leek  was  sending  troops  down  the  country  to  attack  Beauregard 
at  Corinth.  Van  Dorn  was  ordered  by  his  superiors  to  place  his 
army  within  'supporting  distance  of  Beauregard.  He  answered 
the  instructions  by  saying  that  he  would  '  relieve  Beauregard  by 
giving  battle  to  the  enemy  at  New  Madrid  '  (on  the  Mississippi), 
or  by  marching  '  boldly  and  rapidly  toward  St.  Louis.'  Either  of 
these  moves  would  have  been  a  blow  in  the  rear  of  Grant,  who 
was  struggling  on  toward  Shiloh,  and  had  they  been  made  the 
history  of  the  war  in  the  Mississippi  Valley  would  doubtless  have 
been  changed.  But  while  on  the  march  toward  the  Mississippi 
Van  Dorn  was  suddenly  ordered  to  take  his  command  as  quickly 
as  possible  to  Memphis.  He  did  so,  but  too  late  to  save)  Beaure- 
gard at  Shiloh,  and  his  opportunity  to  strike  a  blow  in  Grant's 
rear  on  the  Upper  Mississippi  had  passed. 

"  After  the  Confederates  abandoned  Corinth  and  the  new  com- 
mander, Bragg,  had  transferred  the  bulk  of  the  forces  to  Chat- 
tanooga to  invade  Kentucky,  in  the  summer  of  1862,  Van  Dorn 
was  placed  in  command  of  the  district  of  Mississippi  with  orders 
to  hold  the  defenses  of  the  river.  General  Grant  was  at  Jackson, 
Tenn.,  holding  a  force  at  Corinth  under  General  Rosecrans. 
General  Buell  was  in  Kentucky  heading  off  Bragg,  and  Grant 
was  detaching  heavily  from  his  army  to  aid  Buell.  Van  Dorn 
was  correspondingly  ordered  to  do  something  to  menace  Grant 
and  prevent  him  from  detaching  against  Bragg.  After  weigh- 
ing all  the  circumstances  he  decided  that  an  invasion  of  West 
Tennessee  to  the  Kentucky  border  by  the  Confederates  in  Mis- 
sissippi would  fully  accomplish  what  was  expected  of  him.  As  a 
preliminary  he  would  fall  upon  Corinth  and  dispose  of  that  Union 
stronghold,  so  as  to  leave  nothing  important  to  threaten  his  rear 
while  marching  in  West  Tennessee.  Under  the  belief  that  Rose- 
crans had  been  weakened  by  loss  of  detachments  sent  to  Buell, 
he  atacked  the  works  around  the  town  on  October  3  and  biv- 
ouacked that  night  within  an  easy  rifle  range  of  the  citadel. 
'  One  hour  of  daylight,'  he  said,  would  have  given  him  victory. 
He  ordered  the  attack  renewed  on  the  morning  of  the  4th,  but 
owing  to  the  sickness  of  General  Hebert,  one  of  his  division  lead- 
ers, the  fighting  was  delayed  until  Rosecrans  got  his  troops  in 
hand  at  the  threatened  points  and  saved  the  day  by  a  narrow 


260  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

chance.  Van  Dorn  retreated,  and  West  Tennessee  was  safe  for  a 
time. 

"  Van  Dorn  fell  into  temporary  disfavor  on  account  of  his  fail- 
ure at  Corinth,  but  he  had  a  friend  at  court  who  was  no  less  a 
personage  than  Jefferson  Davis  himself.  Davis  had  really 
brought  about  the  Corinth  affair  by  ordering  that  Van  Dorn 
should  control  all  the  troops  in  Mississippi.  But  for  that  Van 
Dorn  would  have  been  less  presumptuous.  Neither  failure  nor 
loss  of  prestige,  however,  could  dampen  his  ardor,  and  after  the 
excitement  over  Bragg's  invasion  had  subsided  and  General 
Grant  had  resumed  the  forward  movement  down  the  Mississippi 
overland,  the  long  exposed  line  of  Union  communications  in 
Northern  Mississippi  and  West  Tennessee  invited  such  attacks 
as  Van  Dorn  had  theretofore  planned  but  had  not  been  able  to 
carry  out.  The  supply  depot  of  Grant's  land  column  was  at 
Holly  Springs,  Miss.,  on  the  Mississippi  Central. 

"  After  Bragg's  failure  in  the  Kentucky  invasion  he  had  settled 
his  army  down  at  Murfresboro,  in  the  central  part  of  the  State, 
to  cover  Chattanooga,  Grant's  threatening  movement  toward 
Vicksburg  was  so  alarming  in  the  eyes  of  the  Richmond  people 
that  Bragg  was  called  upon  to  send  troops  back  to  Mississippi. 
Feeling  that  he  had  enough  to  do  at  home  to  take  care  of  the 
Army  of  the  Cumberland  that  had  hounded  him  out  of  Kentucky, 
and  was  still  hot  on  the  trail,  he  sent  General  Forrest  to  raid 
West  Tennessee,  and,  if  possible,  defeat  Grant's  plans.  Forrest 
did  his  work  with  his  usual  thoroughness,  but  did  not  strike  below 
Jackson,  Tenn.,  seventy  miles  north  of  Holly  Springs.  By  one 
of  those  lucky  strokes  that  often  turn  the  tide  in  war,  Van  Dorn, 
acting  on  his  own  hook,  made  a  swoop  with  a  band  of  cavalry 
from  Grenada,  Miss.,  to  Holly  Springs,  cut  the  telegraph  by 
which  Grant  kept  up  his  correspondence  with  Washington,  and 
with  his  subordinates  on  the  lines  north  of  him,  and  for  several 
days,  with  one  enemy  raiding  in  the  rear  and  another  hovering 
about  its  camps,  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee  was  in  a  state  of 
isolation  as  great  as  though  steam  roads  and  telegraphs  had  never 
been  invented.  Van  Dorn  also  destroyed  military  stores  valued 
at  $600,000  to  $1,000,000,  and  misled  the  troopers  sent  out  by 
Grant  to  intercept  him.  So  rapid  were  his  movements  that 
Grant's  outlying  scouts  were  beaten  in  the  race  to  camp. 

"  Unquestionably  Van  Dorn's  dash  was  a  godsend  to  Forrest, 


Last  Days. 


261 


for  it  diverted  attention  from  his  movements  in  the  direction 
where  his  danger  was  greatest.  It  was  the  first  brilliant  success 
to  come  to  the  Confederates  out  of  Mississippi,  and  Van  Dorn 
became  the  hero  of  the  hour,  past  ill  fortunes  being  forgotten." 

General  Fitzhugh  Lee  writes : 

"  I  was  assigned,  when  I  graduated  at  West  Point,  to  the 
famous  Second  Cavalry,  U.  S.  Army,  now  the  Fifth,  then  sta- 
tioned in  Texas. 


Field 
Officers. 


Albert  Sidney  Johnston  was  its  Colonel. 
Robert  E.  Lee,  Lieut.-Colonel. 

Wm.  I.  Hardee,  Senior  Major. 

George  H.  Thomas,  Junior  Major. 


Brevet  Major  Earl  Van  Dorn, 
E.  Kirby  Smith, 
James  Oaks, 
Innis  Palmer, 
George  Stoneham, 
Richard  W.  Johnson, 
Wm.  R.  Bradfute, 
Nathan  G.  Evans, 
Charles  I.  Whiting, 


Troop  A,  Senior  Captain. 

B,  Captain. 

C,  Captain. 

D,  Captain. 

E,  Captain. 

F,  Captain. 

G,  Captain. 
H,  Captain. 
K,  Captain. 


"  It  had  a  full  complement  of  First  and  Second  Lieutenants, 
and  furnished  more  general  officers  from  1861  to  1865  than  any 
other  regiment  in  the  army. 

"  In  those  days  probably  the  two  most  distinguished  officers, 
except  the  field  officers,  were  Captain  (Brevet  Major)  Van  Dorn, 
and  First  Lieutenant  John  B.  Hood,  who  at  an  early  period 
greatly  distinguished  themselves  in  Indian  warfare. 
•  "  I  remember  Van  Dorn  very  distinctly  at  that  period,  though 
I  was  the  second  lieutenant  of  Captain  Smith's  troop,  and  not  an 
officer  of  A  Troop.  He  was  thoroughly  a  soldier  in  all  that  con- 
stitutes a  brave,  conscientious  officer.  While  a  little  below  the 
medium  height,  his  figure  was  stronsr  and  compact.  He  had  a 
small  waist  and  broad  shoulders,  and  looked  the  gallant  soldier 
that  he  was.  Courteous,  amiable,  with  a  magnetic  presence ; 
agreeable  manners,  splendid  head  and  handsome  face,  popular 
with  officers  and  men,  he  was  easily  the  most  conspicuous  officer 
of  his  grade. 

"  Shortly  after  I  joined  the  regiment  an  expedition  was  organ- 


262  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

ized  to  operate  against  the  hostile  Indians  in  Texas  and  on  its 
borders.  Six  troops  of  the  regiment  were  placed  under  Van 
Dorn's  command.  After  a  march  from  the  Wichita  Mountains 
of  over  20  miles  in  a  northerly  course,  a  village  of  hostile  Co- 
manches  were  discovered  at  Small  Creek,  about  fifteen  miles  south 
of  old  Fort  Atkinson,  near  the  Nescutunga,  a  tributary  of  the 
Arkansas  River. 

"  The  Indians  occupied  a  strong  defensive  position,  but  after 
a  sharp,  bloody,  and  desperate  engagement,  in  which  no  quarter 
was  asked,  they  were  utterly  defeated,  with  a  loss  of  fifty  war- 
riors killed,  five  wounded,  and  thirty-six  captured.  One  hun- 
dred animals  were  captured,  and  their  supplies  and  camp  equi- 
page were  destroyed  or  appropriated  to  the  use  of  the  troops.  The 
combat  was  in  a  thick  jungle  or  brush-covered  ravine,  which  was 
carried  by  an  assauk  made  with  dismounted  skirmishers,  while 
mounted  men  commanded  the  outlets  and  occupied  the  crest  of 
the  hills  above  and  below  the  ravine. 

"  One  enlisted  man  was  killed  and  one  was  mortally  wounded. 
Captain  Smith  was  severely  and  Lieutenant  Lee  was  dangerously 
wounded.  Eleven  enlisted  men  were  wounded. 

"  This  was  another  brilliant  victory  over  the  Comanches,  and 
made  Captain  (Brevet  Major)  Van  Dorn  one  of  the  most  con- 
spicuous officers  in  the  cavalry  service.  The  party  was  a  part 
of  the  same  band  which  had  been  chastized  at  the  Wichita  village. 
Captain  Van  Dorn's  opinion,  as  expressed  early  in  the  winter, 
concerning  the  whereabouts  of  the  Indians,  proved  to  bet  sub- 
stantially correct.  The  battle  was  fought  beyond  the  limits  of 
the  Department  of  Texas,  and  the  officers  and  men  by  their  good 
conduct  and  gallantry  added  another  substantial  success  to  the 
well-earned  laurels  of  the  regiment.  The  command  was  so  crip- 
pled by  the  wounded  and  the  prisoners  that  Captain  Van  Dorn 
was  compelled  to  return  to  Otter  Creek,  where  he  arrived  on  the 
3Oth  of  May,  having  completed  a  march  of  four  hundred  miles. 

"  The  command  was  highly  complimented  in  reports  and  general 
orders  for  conspicuous  gallantry  and  a  decisive  victory." 

(In  this  engagement  General  Lee  was  himself  severely 
wounded. — EDITOR.  ) 

"  My  Troop  B  accompanied  the  expedition,  and  I  was  selected 
by  Van  Dorn  to  be  his  adjutant. 

"  I,  therefore,  had  an  excellent  opportunity  to  ascertain  his 


Last  Days.  263 

soldierly  qualifications,  his  activity,  courage,  and  power  of  endur- 
ance. 

"  In  the  war  from  1861  to  1865  I  never  served  with  him. 

"  I  write  only  about  what  I  personally  observed.  General 
Twiggs,  his  department  commander,  at  that  time,  in  a  general 
order,  said : 

'  It  affords  the  general  commanding  the  department  much 
pleasure  in  this  connection  to  recur  again  to  the  later  valuable 
and  important  services  of  Brevet  Major  Earl  Van  Dorn,  Second 
Cavalry.  This  officer,  by  his  marked  judgment,  energy,  and  mili- 
tary ability,  has  gained  two  decisive  victori-es  over  large  bodies 
of  Comanches  in  the  recent  campaigns  in  the  Wichita  country, 
showing  conclusively  that  these  qualities,  if  property  exercised, 
will  insure  success  and  set  chance  at  defiance.' ' 

"  FORT  MEADE,  SOUTH  DAKOTA,  August  27,  1901. 

"  My  acquaintance  with  General  Earl  Van  Dorn,  then  captain 
of  the  Second  Cavalrv,  was  that  of  a  boy  and  soldier  with  his 
commanding  officer.  I  was  his  orderly  on  many  occasions,  and 
can  testify  to  his  amiable  qualities  and  generous  character.  He 
vas  beloved  by  his  soldiers,  and  his  characteristic  bravery  and 
dash  was  a  theme  of  which  they  never  tired.  He  was  the  most 
successful  Indian  fighter  of  his  day.  The  following  incident  will 
give  some  idea  of  the  estimation  in  which  he  was  held  by  the 
people  of  Texas : 

"  '  Several  officers  were  en  route  to  witness  the  inauguration  of 
Sam  Houston,  as  Governor  of  Texas,  at  Austin,  in  November, 
1859,  and  at  one  of  their  camps  were  visited  by  a  number  of 
ranchmen  of  the?  neighborhood.  It  was  a  presidential  year,  and 
the  conversation  turned  on  the  merits  of  the  candidates  for  that 
high  office,  and  when  one  of  the  officers  asked  the  ranchmen  to 
name  their  choice  they  replied  in  chorus,  "  Major  Earl  Van 
Porn."  The  settlers  on  the  frontier  appreciated  his  services  and 
believed  that  no  honor  was  too  high  or  reward  too  great  for  him/ 

"'E.  M.  HAYES, 
'  Colonel  Thirteenth  Cavalry,  U.  S.' 

BY  A  STAFF  OFFICER. 

"  Major-General  Earl  Van  Dorn  was  a  man  of  5  feet  8  inches  in 
height,  gracefully  and  symmetrically  formed,  and  with  great 


264  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

powers  of  endurance.  As  is  remarked  by  Plutarch  of  the  Dic- 
tator Sylla,  '  his  eyes  were  of  a  living  blue,  fierce  and  menacing 
v/hen  earnest,  as  in  anger,'  but  capable  of  expressing  the  greatest 
tenderness.  His  hair  was  a  light  chestnut  color,  worn  long  and 
wavy,  and  for  a  man's  hair  was  peculiarly  beautiful.  His  com- 
plexion, where  exposed  to  the  sun,  was  of  that  dark  red  color  that 
I  have  never  seen  in  any  other  man  but  Gen.  Robert  E.  Lee,  as 
different  as  possible  from  the  bright  red  of  intemperance,  and 
the  dull  brown  of  the  olive  hue,  and  more  than  anything  else  re- 
sembling the  red  of  the  Indian  without  its  copper  hue;  the  re- 
markable contrast  of  the  complexion  doubtless  greatly  heightened 
the  color  of  the  €yes,  which  appeared  as  bright  and  blue  as  the 
sky,  and  flashed  like  steel  in  the  sunlight.  His  nose  was  straight, 
with  wide  firm  set  nostrils — what  is  usually  known  as  the  Amer- 
ican nose.  His  teeth  were  beautiful  and  greatly  heightened  the 
effect  of  one  of  the  most  agreeable  smiles  I  have  ever  seen;  his 
mouth  and  chin  were  covered  by  a  brown  mustache  and  imperial 
which  were  considered  of  uncommon  beauty.  The  tout  ensem- 
ble of  the  man  was  that  of  a  modest  and  refined  gentleman,  but 
in  the  heat  of  battle  his  appearance  became  so  changed  as  almost 
to  amount  to  transfiguration ;  his  whok  figure  seemed  to  expand 
and  dilate  with  the  martial  ardor  of  the  high  soul  which  glowed 
through  every  lineament.  In  such  moments  his  voice,  ordinarily 
as  soft  and  gentle  as  a  woman's,  grew  deep,  harsh  and  imperious. 
His  eyes  flashed  so  brightly  as  to  make  their  glance  unpleasant' 
to  bear.  The  finest  horseman  in  the  Cavalry  of  the  old  United 
States  Army,  he  sat  his  horse  as  firmly  as  if  a  part  of  him,  and 
with  the  gaudia  certaminis  lighting  up  his  face,  his  animated 
gesture,  and  fire  of  expression,  he  appeared  the  very  impersona- 
tion of  the  Spirit  of  Battle — a  born  Child  of  War. 

"  I  have  known  a  few  men  as  brave  as  General  Van  Dorn,  and 
only  a  few,  among  the  many  who  pretend  to  that  quality,  and 
indeed  deservedly  enjoy  the  reputation.  It  was  a  remark  of  his 
on  one  occasion  in  conversation,  that  '  in  his  opinion  there  were 
but  very  few  men  who  were  truly  brave ;  that  that  man  only  was 
really  brave  who  was  brave  everywhere  and  under  all  possible 
circumstances ;  as  the  ancients  had  it.  '  on  land  and  sea ' ;  that  he 
did  not  refer  to  those  who  had  brutal  courage  like  the  wild  ani- 
mal, through  want  of  reflection  and  insensibility  to  danger, — for 
that  kind  of  courage  he  had  great  contempt,  as  could  the  ignorant 


Last  Days.  265 

wretch  only  know  his  danger  he  would  be  frightened  to  death ;' 
and  he  then  related  this  anecdote  by  way  of  illustration,  with  that 
freshness  and  enthusiasm  of  which  only  he  was  capable : — '  In 
one  of  the  first  Napoleon's  great  battles,  perhaps  Leipsic,  as  a 
distinguished  French  regiment  was  composedly  awaiting  orders 
to  advance,  while  hour  after  hour  round  shot  and  shell  tore 
through  their  ranks,  an  old  mustached  grenadier,  the  veteran 
of  twenty  campaigns,  observing  a  young  recruit  by  his  side,  a 
fair-haired,  blue-eyed  boy,  flinch  from  a  shell  which  burst  close 
by,  with  an  expression  of  terror  on  his  face,  he  turned  on  him 

fiercely  with  the  exclamation,  "  By I  believe  you  are  afraid !'' 

Whereupon  the  young  soldier  replied  haughtily,  "  Damn  you,  sir, 
had  you  been  half  as  much  frightened  as  I  have  been  you  would 
have  run  an  hour  ago !  "  '  This,'  remarked  Gen.  Van  Dorn,  '  il- 
lustrates the  highest  kind  of  courage, — the  heroism  of  the  soul, 
that  superb  pride  which  rises  superior  to  the  weakness  of  the  flesh, 
and  sustains  its  possessor  everywhere  against  all  possible  terrors.' 
Gen.  Van  Dorn  himself  had,  I  verily  believe,  this  species  of  cour- 
age, and  whatever  he  may  have  felt  I  am  convinced  no  amount 
of  danger,  either  sudden  or  looked  for,  could  under  any  circum- 
stances have  drawn  from  him  the  slightest  exhibition  of  fear.  I 
have  seen  many  brave  men  on  trying  and  critical  occasions  show 
symptoms  of  terror,  such  as  nervousness,  paleness,  huskiness  of 
voice,  absorbed  excitement ;  so  have  I  seen  such  men  flinch  from 
shot  and  shell,  musket  bills  when  passing  unusually  near,  but  I 
do  not  believe  mortal  man  ever  saw  in  him  any  indication  of  the 
slightest  sense  of  danger,  so  self-sustaining  was  his  pride.  I 
am  sure  I  never  did,  though  as  he  had  acquired  in  Mexico  and 
the  Indian  wars  a  great  reputation  for  courage,  before  I  joined 
him  in  the  late  war,  I,  who  am  curious  in  such  matters  and  rather 
given  to  speculation  upon  the  motives  and  causes  of  action  of  men, 
made  it  my  particular  business  to  endeavor  to  find  out  by  the 
exhibitions  of  it  in  him,  in  what  true  courage  really  consists.  An 
anecdote  is  to  a  narrative  as  a  lamp  to  a  dark  room,  and  the 
following  may  be  mentioned  as  an  instance  which  will  throw  light 
on  my  meaning.  During  the  second  action  of  Farmington, 
fought,  if  my  memory  serves  me  right,  on  the  8th  of  May,  1862, 
being  one  of  those  occasions  on  which  Gen.  Beauregard  offered 
battle  to  Gen.  Halleck  some  miles  in  front  of  the  fortifications 
of  Corinth,  after  pushing  through  Farmington  in  pursuit  of  Gen. 


266  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

Pope's  division  (which!  by  order  of  Halleck  declined  battle  and 
fell  back  before  us),  seeing  the  enemy  retire  across  an  extended 
plain  in  our  front  upon  the  greater  way  of  which  was  a  slight 
crest  behind  which  they  disappeared,  Gen.  Van  Dorn,  followed 
of  course  by  staff  and  bodyguard,  galloped  in  front  of  the  fore- 
most line  of  battle  to  the  summit  of  the  crest.  No  enemy  could 
be  seen,  but  at  the  foot  of  a  gentle  declivity  about  100  yards  in 
our  front  was  a  thick  wood.  A  fencei  ran  immediately  across  our 
path,  and  here  we  stopped  for  the  troops  to  come  up.  The  first 
brigade  that  reached  us,  consisting  (I  think)  of  the  nth  and  I3th 
Louisiana  Regiments,  and  another,  were  directed  to  clear  the 
wood  of  any  enemies  that  might  be  concealed  in  it,  and  at  once 
sprang  over  the  fence  and  proceeded  still  in  line  of  battle  towards 
the  wood.  But  scarce  had  they  advanced  twenty  yards,  when 
a  blaze  of  musketry  from  the  edge  of  the  wood  disclosed  the  am- 
bushed enemy,  and  shameful  to  relate,  the  great  bulk  of  a  bri- 
gade that  had  distinguished  itself  a  month  before  at  Shiloh  for 
bravery,  incontinently  took  to  flight  and  left  us  a  peculiar  mark, 
mounted  and  uniformed  as  we  were,  for  the  enemy's  bullets.  A 
brave  man  might  have  teen  excused  under  the  circumstances  for 
quietly  '  falling  back,'  and  I  fixed  my  eyes  on  the  General.  For 
a  moment  his  eyes  blazed  with  anger,  and  then  turning  half  round 
on  his  horse  he  looked  back  to  see  where  and  how  far  back  the 
main  body  of  our  troops  was  behind  us.  I,  too,  looked,  and  never 
have  I  seen  war  made  so  brilliant  in  aspect.  From  side  to  side 
of  the  vast  plain  almost  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach  in  the  Confed- 
erate lines  of  battle — the  bayonets  glistening  in  the  sunlight,  the 
various  banners  fluttering  in  the  breeze — came  proudly  on  like 
wave  after  wave  of  the  sea,  while  the  air  was  filled  with  the 
crash  of  musketry,  interrupted  with  strains  of  music  that  came 
floating  from  the  rear.  The  nearest  line  of  troops  behind  us  was 
Gen.  Patton  Anderson's  brigade,  about  100  yards  d/tstant.  At 
i~nce  I  saw  the  General's  determination  was  taken — he  would  not 
fly — a  major-general  in  the  face  of  the  enemy!  In  a  tranquil 
voice  he  directed  his  officers  to  hurry  up  the  troops,  and  another 
to  place  a  battery  on  the  crest  just  off  the  right,  and  sat 
still !  It  is  easy  enough  to  write  about,  but  it  was  a  dread 
moment  as  the  leaden  tempest  hurtled  by,  through,  and  amongst 
us,  and  we  sitting  as  quietly  as  for  a  portrait !  Of  course  we 
could  not  leave  the  General.  It  was  but  a  few  minutes  in  point 


Last  Days.  267 

of  time,  hours  in  uncertainty.  Several  members  of  the  staff  and 
bodyguard  were  shot  down,  horse  and  man.  Up  galloped  a  four- 
gun  battery,  and  rapidly  taking  position  by  our  side  added  the 
roar  of  artillery  to  the  sublimity  of  the  scene. 

"  CLEMENT  SULIVANE, 

"  Aide-de-Camp." 

ELOQUENT   WORDS  OF   FATHER   MAGEVNEY,   IN   WHICH    HE  PAYS    \ 
TRIBUTE  TO  GENERAL  VAN  DORN. 

The  Masonic  Temple  at  Baltimore,  Md.,  has  rarely  contained 
a  larger  or  more  appreciative  audience  than  assembled  last  night 
to  hear  the  Rev.  Hugh  S.  Magevney,  S.  J.,  lecture  on  the  "  Worth 
of  Battle-field  Memorials." 

Father  Magevney  was  introduced  by  General  Bradley  T.  John- 
son, who  briefly  explained  that  the  object  of  the  lecture  was  to 
assist  in  liquidating  the  debt  incurred  by  the  Southern  Historical 
Association  in  publishing  a  true  account  of  the  treatment  of 
Northern  prisoners  by  the  South.  He  then  presented  Father 
Ma^evney.  The  lecturer  began  by  saying  he  felt  as  though  the 
Maryland  society  was  his  guardian  angel,  and  he  felt  secure  under 
the  shadow  of  its  protecting  wing.  Passing  on  then,  he  said  that 
the  battle-field  was  regarded  in  two  lights ;  first,  by  the  sentimen- 
talists, who  painted  it  witih  glowing  colors  as  all  glory,  and,  sec- 
ondly, by  the  ascete,  who  painted  it  as  all  cruelty;  both  views 
are  false.  The  battle-field  is  the  playground  of  man's  highest 
genius ;  the  perfect  soldier  is  immeasurably  superior  to  the  perfect 
civilian ;  the  general  embraces  the  statesman ;  there  is  no  antag- 
onism between  the  pen  and  the  sword ;  the  sword  is  the  pen  only 
more  perfectly  developed.  Popular  sentiment  supports  this  view 
in  its  choice  for  rulers.  How  many  of  our  presidents  before  the 
war  were  not  soldiers?  And  since  the  war  the  presidential  chair 
has  been  turned  into  a  campstool,  and  none  but  a  soldier  need 
apply.  [Prolonged  applause.] 

But  the  battle-field  is  also  the  scene  of  genius  in  its  highest 
inspiration.  It  is  trjie  battle-field  that  brings  into  play  all  of  a 
man's  capabilities, his  readiness  to  meet  an  emergency,  his  prompti- 
tude in  meeting  and  warding  off  every  stratagem  of  the  enemy. 
The  lecturer's  beau  ideal  was  Gen.  Van  Dorn.  His  calmness  and 
coolness  in  all  the  terrible  ordeal  at  Corinth  have  stamped  Van 


268  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

Dorn  as  one  of  the  master  minds  among  soldiers.  But  the  battle- 
field also  brings  all  thel  beautiful  virtues  of  the  soldier.  The 
soldier  is  held  responsible  for  the  horrors  of  battle,  but  wars  are 
bred  in  Senate  chambers.  War  is  the  result  of  ill-used  peace. 
Soldiers  are  not  rude.  Wellington,  with  the  laurel  of  Waterloo 
wreathing  his  brow,  said :  "  Nothing,  except  a  battle  lost,  it  more 
melancholy  than  a  battle  won."  He,  the  lecturer,  paid  a  noble 
tribute  to  Baltimore's  women  for  the  generosity  displayed  towards 
Lafayette's  men ;  and  a  no  less  beautiful  tribute  was  rendered 
the  noble  women  of  the'  South ;  in  his  heart  every  Confederate 
keeps  the  memory  of  their  noble  deeds  as  green  as  their  own  fair 
graves,  as  sweet  as  the  magnolia  that  blooms  thereon.  What 
monument  shall  we  erect  to  the  memory  of  our  fallen  heroe's? 
Not  one  of  granite,  for  that  crumbles,  and  their  memory  must 
never  crumble ;  not  marble,  for  that  tarnishes,  and  their  memory 
must  stay  free  from  blot  and  stain.  Naught  is  worthy  of  their 
memory  save  the  record  of  their  hard-fought  battles,  as  truth  will 
hand  that  record  down  to  history  and  posterity.  There  is  no 
blot  of  shamel  on  their  escutcheon. 

A  MEMORIAL. 
BY  MARY  EMILY  DONELSON  WILCOX. 

(Daughter  of  Major  Andrew  Donelson,  Secretary  to  President 

Jackson.) 

There  was  general  and  unqualified  rejoicing  when  Earl  Van 
Dorn  was  selected  to  succeed  General  Twiggs  as  Commander  of 
the  Confederate  troops  garrisoning  San  Antonio  and  other  neigh- 
boring army  posts  in  Texas,  for  all  believed  that  he,  brave,  tact- 
ful, patriotic,  would  overcome  the  sinister  influences  causing 
public  sentiment  to  hesitate  between  Southern  and  Northern  alle- 
giance and  rally  to  the  support  of  the  young  Confederacy. 

'Some  years  before  he  had  commanded  expeditions  against 
some  insurgent  Comanche  Indians  and,  though  encountering  su- 
perior numbers  and  a  desperate  resistance,  had  gained  decisive 
victories,  displaying  marvelous  courage  and  skill.  Lieut.  Van 
Camp  and  others  were  killed  and  Lieuts.  Hazen  and  Jones  were 
severely  wounded  in  one  of  these  expeditions,  which  resulted  in 


Last  Days.  269 

almost  complete  extermination  of  the  Comanches  and  their 
allies. 

The  citizens  of  San  Antonio,  quick  to  recognize  valiant  deeds 
and  to  honor  those  performing  them,  tendered  Brevet-Major 
Van  Dorn  a  public  reception,  and  it  was  as  the  city's  guest  that  he 
won  that  admiring  regard  never  forfeited.  Peculiar  social  and 
political  conditions  prevailed  in  San  Antonio  in  1860-61.  A 
large  army  station  mainly  dependent  on  government  patronage 
and  deriving  from  it  social  and  commercial  prestige,  interest  and 
tradition  bound  it  to  the  Union,  then  its  large  foreign  population, 
— Mexican,  French,  German — its  numerous  Northern  born  resi- 
dents who,  owning  no  slaves,  naturally  opposed  slavery,  its  isola- 
tion, non-identity  with  Southern  customs,  made  any  change  un- 
desirable and  prevented  any  spontaneous  patriotic  outburst  such 
as  was  noticeable  in  all  other  Southern  cities. 

Realizing  the  situation  and  conscious  of  his  responsibility,  Van 
Dorn,  assuming  command,  exercised  great  prudence  and  dis- 
cretion, was  careful  to  antagonize  no  parties  and  vigilant  to  rec- 
oncile all  interests.  Cheerful  and  sanguine,  his  presence  in- 
spired confidence  and  hope,  his  supreme  faith  in  the  justice  of  the 
secession  movement  and  his  sincere  belief  in  the  ul-imate  success 
of  the  Confederacy  proved  contagious,  and  that  Western  Texas 
was  so  loyal  to  the  Southern  cause  and  contributed  so  generously, 
both  in  men  and  money,  to  its  needs,  was  principally  due  to  his 
wise,  prudent,  conservative  course.  Quoting  General  Washington, 
in  the  darkest  hours  of  the  struggle  for  independence,  encouraged 
social  amusements  as  being  antidotes  to  despair  and  fear  and 
stimulants  to  patriotic  endeavor,  he  inaugurated  a  series  of  de- 
lightful entertainments,  still  pleasantly  remembered. 

In  the  decade  preceding  the  Civil  War  many  officers  prominent 
on  opposing  sides  in  the  ensuing  conflict  were  stationed  in  San 
Antonio,  and  being  genial,  cultivated,  and  public-spirited,  ac- 
quired much  social  influence.  Among  Federal  officers  most  es- 
teemed were  General  McDowell,  Buell,  Canby,  Surnner,  Captains 
Palmer  and  Jones,  Lieutenants  Hazen,  Graham,  Smith  and  others ; 
among  the  Confederates  were  R.  E.  Lee,  Joe  Johnston,  Sidney 
Johnston,  Kirby  Smith,  Wilson,  Van  Dorn,  Armstrong,  McLean, 
Blair,  and  others,  the  frontier  service  of  all  of  whom  was  an 
earnest  of  the  remarkable  careers  awaiting  them.  Van  Dorn, 
leaving  San  Antonio,  for  the  scenes  of  active  operations  beyond 


270  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

the  Mississippi,  took  with  him  the  good  wishes  of  the  entire  com- 
munity, all  predicting  for  him  a  happy,  successful  and  brilliant 
future. 

Descending  from  a  distinguished  ancestry  and  combining  the 
traits  characteristic  of  his  Holland,  Scotch,  Irish,  English,  pro- 
genitors, he  inherited  from  the  first  prudence,  discretion,  wisdom, 
from  the  second  honesty,  loyalty  and  truthfulness ;  from  the  Irish 
wit,  imagination,  and  a  reckless  love  of  pleasure  and  adventure, 
from  the  English  courage,  honor  and  contempt  of  death.  Tall, 
erect,  handsome,  with  light  chestnut  hair,  bright  flashing  eye, 
cameo-like  features,  and  a  graceful,  well-proportioned  form,  he 
had  that  winning  charm  of  manner  and  personal  magnetism  so 
potent  in  love  and  friendship.  An  omnivorous  reader  familiar 
with  classical  and  modern  literature,  an  inimitable  raconteur,  with 
an  inexhaustible  fund  of  apropos  quotations,  he  was  a  delightful 
fireside  and  table  companion,  as  welcome  in  the  politest  society 
as  in  camps  and  bivouacs.  During  a  long  active  eventful  career 
he  never  lost  a  friend  or  justly  made  an  enemy,  and  jealously 
guarded  the  legacies  of  his  ancestors,  left  to  his  posterity  and 
country  a  memory  unstained  by  a  suspicion  of  wrong-doing,  en- 
riched by  high  achievements  and  savory  with  honor,  courage  and 
virtue. 

History  furnishes  examples  of  men,  comely,  quick-witted, 
high-spirited,  warm-hearted,  pleasure-loving,  whom  women  espe- 
cially admire  and  court,  men  like  Alexander  of  Macedonia,  Julius 
Caesar,  Henry  of  Navarre,  who,  pursuing  sublime  notable  careers 
and  fighting  battles  that  culminate  in  fame,  glory,  power,  wealth, 
also  struggle  all  their  lives  against  the  seductive  blandishments 
of  intriguing  women,  and  who,  unless  they  flee  like  Joseph  or 
turn  like  Saint  Anthony  from  them,  would  become  involved  in 
scandals  of  the  camp  or  garrisons.  Van  Dorn,  flattered,  petted, 
pursued,  belonged  to  this  class,  yet  no  knight  at  King  Arthur's 
Court  had  holier  reverence  for  the  sanctity  of  domestic  ties,  or 
keener  appreciation  of  those  graces  that  make  woman  the  Angel 
of  Home.  Loving  danger  and  adventure,  eager  for  fame,  in 
his  element  when  in  peace  or  war,  the  closing  scene  of  his  life 
should  have  been  the  battle-field,  leading  amid  the  flash  and  clash 
of  arms,  the  flare  of  drums  and  trumpet,  the  shouts  of  soldiers, 
his  troops  to  victory.  Alas !  fate  decreed  otherwise,  though 
sparing  him  the  pang  of  seeing  the  flag  he  so  loyally  upheld 


Last  Days.  271 

lowered  was  a  merciful  escape.  Shot  by  a  pretended  jealous 
husband,  whose  wife  testified  that  General  Van  Dorn  had  never 
approached  her  save  in  the  most  respectful  manner,  and  never 
addressed  her  with  an  improper  word  or  look.  He  died  at  his 
desk  after  writing  a  passport  for  the  assassin  to  enter  the  enemy's 
lines,  at  his  own  request.  After  being-  shot  in  the  back  of  his 
head,  with  pen  in  hand,  he  never  spoke,  and  died  in  a  few  hours, 
-surrounded  by  those  who  loved  him  as  brothers.  Hi-s  death 
scene  was  one  worthy  of  a  life  spent  in  his  country's  service,  a 
life  glorified  by  sacrifice  and  devotion  in  company  with  a  noble 
band  whose  deeds  made  the  Southern  Cross  the  symbol  of  faith 
and  duty,  of  courage  and  honor, — no  name  is  more  worthy  of 
reverent  homage  that  that  of  Earl  Van  Dorn,  Hero  and  Martyr, 
valiant  champion  of  his  Country's  Rights. 


Gen.  Dabney  H.  Maury,  in  an  address  at  Port  Gibson,  Miss., 
Decoration  Day,  May  ist,  1884,  said,  speaking  of  Gen.  Earl  Van 
Dorn: 

"  Here,  too,  was  bred  and  born  one  whom  it  was  my  privilege 
to  know  and  love  for  many  years. 

"  We  served  together  through  two  wars  and  in  many  battles. 

"  Never  saw  I  such  a  soldier  as  he. 

"  Like  DeSaix  he  was  '  all  for  wax  and  glory.'  He  joyed  in 
the  crash  of  battle  and  was  unconquerable. 

"  Daring,  alert,  indefatigable,  he  was  never  depressed  by  dis- 
aster. 

"  And  when  his  whole  army  thronged  past  him  in  disordered 
rout,  his  blue  eye  blazed  with  scorn  for  .men  who  would  not 
stand  and  fight. 

"  As  a  general  of  cavalry,  Van  Dorn  had  not  his  equal  in  the 
Confederate  nor  the  Federal  army. 

"  No  heart  was  warmer  or  more  tender  than  his ;  kind  to  all,  he 
was  generous  to  friend  or  foe. 

"  He  loved  danger  and  battle  beyond  all  else — and  could  not 
understand  a  coward. 

"  He  was  ever  true  and  good  to  me,  and  I  pay  tribute  to  him 
in  his  birthplace  with  sincere  devotion  to  his  memory ;  you  do 
well  indeed  to  honor  and  to  decorate  these  graves. 


272  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

GENERAL  EARL  VAN  DORN,  THE  PRINCE  RUPERT  OF  OUR  CIVIL  WAR, 
THE  BRAVEST  OF  THE  BRAVE. 


TUPELO,  VICKSBURG  AND  CORINTH. 

The  following  paper  was  prepared  by  Captain  H.  F.  Starke, 
and  read  by  him  at  the  last  monthly  meeting  of  the  Confederate 
Veterans'  Association. 

Captain  Starke  participated  personally  in  many  of  the  inci- 
dents described  as  a  member  of  Van  Dorn's  command,  and  aside 
from  the  interest  of  the  narrative  the  paper  has  a  distinct  historic 
valua  It  is  a  fitting  tribute,  moreover,  to  a  gallant  and  gifted 
soldier. 

"  Texas  furnished  to  the  Confederacy  her  full  quota  of  men  and 
none  excelled  them  in  bravery  and  daring,  and  throughout  the 
long  struggle  for  liberty  and  independence  they  showed  to  the 
world  that  in  courage  they  had  no  superiors.  The  state  of  their 
nativity  or  adoption  was  a  great  school  of  character.  Here  a 
choice  seed  of  manhood  had  been  planted,  and  even  in  its  rudest 
and  wildest  types  its  population  was  a  mixture  of  honor  and  chiv- 
alry. This  peculiarity  was  well  illustrated  in  the  war.  Wher- 
ever the  rough  sons  of  Texas  fought,  there  was  blood  and  glory, 
the  terrible  spasm  of  battle,  the  desperate  achievement.  Yet  no 
soldier  of  the  Confederacy  was  more  generous  to  the  enemy, 
more  magnanimous  to  prisoners,  and  more  fully  alive  to  all  the 
appeals  of  the  cause  for  which  they  fought.  They  were  the  men 
in  the  army  of  Northern  Virginia,  upon  whom  General  Lee  relied 
for  desperate  enterprises,  and  whom  he  once  designated  in  the 
strongest  compliment  he  was  capable  »f  bestowing. 

"  General  Johnston,  of  the  army  of  the  West,  frequently  said 
that  he  could  always  depend  upon  the  men  from  Texas ;  in  every 
dangerous  and  difficult  enterprise,  fighting  with  a  fierce  and  ap- 
parently untamed  courage,  capable  of  the  most  sublime  self-de- 
votion, the  soldiers  of  Texas  yet  carried  a  reputation  for  gene- 
rosity, and  in  their  tattered  uniforms  bore  the  true  ornament  of 
manhood,  the  rough  diamond  of  chivalry.  Their  deeds  alone, 
taken  apart  from  the  general  story  of  the  war,  would  fill  volumes 
and  be  a  complete  testimony  of  the  best  manhood  of  the  living 
age. 


Last  Days.  273 

"  Chief  among  these  men  we  find  the  incomparable  and  gallant 
Hood,  the  brave  and  indomitable  McCullough,  the  chivalrous 
Ross,  and  the  subject  of  this  paper,  the  Prince  Rupert  of  our 
Civil  War,  the  bravest  of  the  brave,  the  knig'htly  Earl  Van  Dorn. 
He  was  not  a  native  of  Texas,  but  like  many  soldiers  of  the  Lone 
Star  State,  he  owed  his  lineage  to  Mississippi,  and  was  born  in 
1820,  in  the  town  of  Port  Gibson.  After  receiving  a  liberal  edu- 
cation, he  graduated  at  West  Point  in  1842.  He  served  in  the 
Mexican  war  with  credit,  and  at  the  battle  of  Cerro  Gordo  was 
breveted  on  the  field  for  gallant  and  meritorious  conduct,  and 
in  the  battles  of  Contreras  and  Cherubusco  he  fell  wounded  in  the 
thickest  of  the  fight,  and  upon  the  surrender  of  the  City  of  Mex- 
ico he  was  again  promoted,  receiving  the  rank  of  major. 

"  The  State  of  Texas  seceded  from  the  Union  the  first  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1861,  and  soon  after  Van  Dorn  organized  a  company  of 
about  eighty  men  to  operate  against  the  enemy  on  the  coast,  and 
on  April  20,  he  succeeded  in  capturing  the  Federal  steamer  '  Star 
of  the  West '  in  Galveston  harbor.  The  ship  was  loaded  with 
troops  and  stores,  therefore  there  was  great  rejoicing  throughout 
the  country  over  its  capture.  Some  of  you  are  probably  familiar 
with  the  story  of  the  taking  of  the  '  Star  of  the  West,'  but,  being 
a  participant,  I  may  be  able  to  give  some  facts  concerning  the 
capture  that  have  never  found  their  way  into  print. 

"  On  the  nip-lit  of  April  20,  wihich  was  extremely  dark,  we  em- 
barked on  a  '  lighter '  which  the  Federals  had  used  the  day  be- 
fore in  transporting  troops,  and  approached  the  steamer,  whose 
commander  thought  he  was  about  to  take  on  board  his  own  men, 
but  he  reckoned  wrong ;  for  before  he  had  time  to  offer  resistance 
we  had  gained  the  decks  and  were  in  possession  of  the  ship,  and 
had  driven  the  Federals  below  the  hatches,  '  which  we  battered 
down,'  thus  securing  possession  without  the  loss  of  blood.  This 
success  only  whetted  the  appetite  of  our  gallant  leader  for  more 
exploits,  whereupon  he  secured  more  volunteers  and  proceeded  in 
our  captured  steamer  to  Seluria,  where  he  arrived  on  April  24 
and  anchored  in  easy  range  of  two  Federal  transports  loaded  with 
troops,  about  600  in  number.  They  obeyed  our  summons  to  sur- 
render, whereupon  we  took  their  paroles,  they  agreeing  not  to 
take  up  arms  again  during  the  war. 

"  These  exploits  gained  for  Van  Dorn  the  rank  of  major-gen- 
eral, and  much  to  our  regret  he  was  called  from  Texas  and 
18 


274  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

assigned  to  duty  in  Virginia,  where  he  greatly  added  to  his  fame 
as  a  tactician  of  the  first  order,  and  a  gallant  soldier.  After  his 
departure  from  Texas  the  regiment  that  I  became  associated 
with,  the  Sixth  Texas  Cavalry,  was  organized  and  took  up  its 
line  of  march  for  Arkansas  and  the  Indian  Nation.  Afterwards 
we  became  a  part  of  General  Price's  army  in  Missouri.  After 
much  fighting  and  many  viscisitudes,  we  found  ourselves  at  Elk- 
horn,  Ark.,  confronting  the  united  Federal  armies,  under  the 
command  of  Sigel,  Curtis  and  Fremont.  Here  Van  Dorn  joined 
us  i.  id  took  command,  and  the  stubbornly  fought  and  bloody 
battle  of  Elkhorn  followed  soon  after.  We  undo  Jbtedly  gained 
a  brilliant  victory,  but  the  fruits  of  the  victory  were  lost.  General 
Curtis,  one  of  the  Federal  commanders,  afterwards  acknowledged 
that,  owing  to  the  superior  tactics  of  Van  Dorn,  they  were  fairly 
defeated,  and  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  lack  of  harmony  between 
the  Confederate  generals,  the  forces  would  have  been  compelled 
to  capitulate.  From  Elkhorn  we  retired  to  Van  Buren,  and  soon 
after  joined  the  army  under  Albert  Sidney  Johnston  in  Ten- 
nessee. 

"  In  June,  1862,  our  honored  commander  was  again  taken  from 
us,  and  transferred  to  the  department  of  Louisiana.,  with  head- 
quarters at  Vicksburg.  Here  he  performed  the  most  brilliant 
service  of  his  entire  military  career,  which  was  the  first  success- 
ful defense  of  that  river  stronghold.  After  the  departure  of 
Van  Dorn  for  his  new  field,  much  fighting  and  many  important 
military  movements  occurred  in  our  department,  but  I  will  briefly 
pass  over  the  movements  of  Beauregar^,  now  in  full  command 
of  the  united  armies  of  the  West  and  Tennessee,  and  the  bloody 
scenes  that  followed.  His  masterly  retreat  to  Tupelo  was  re- 
garded by  the  first  military  men  of  Europe  as  the1  greatest  feat  of 
strategy  on  record,  considering  the  number  and  condition  of  his 
troops  and  the  trifing  loss  attendant  on  such  a  movement,  con- 
fronted by  so  large  a  force,  there  being  125,000  of  the  enemy 
against  35,000  Confederates.  In  September  Van  Dorn  again 
joined  the  army  of  West  Tennessee  and  took  command,  Beau- 
regard  having  retired.  The  battles  of  Farmington,  luka  and 
Corinth  followed  in  quick  succession,  but  the  heretofore  une- 
qualed  bravery  of  our  troops  engaged  on  these  bloody  fields  could 
not  prevail  against  the  overwhelming  numbers  of  the  army  of 
the  enemy,  and  notwithstanding  the  most  stubborn  resistance  on 


Last  Days.  275 

our  part,  we  were  compelled  to  steadily  fall  back,  leaving  West 
Tennessee  and  a  large  portion  of  Mississippi  in  possession  of  the 
invaders. 

"If  the  true  history  of  the  attack  on  Corinth  should  be  written, 
it  would  furnish  a  satisfactory  excuse  for  the  failure  of  Van 
Dorn  in  that  memorable  and  desperately  fought  battle ;  our  defeat 
must  be  attributed  to  the  facts,  that  General  Bragg  saw  fit  to 
ignore  the  plans  of  Van  Dorn,  and  to  concentrate  the  army,  for 
the  purpose  of  engaging  the  enemy  at  luka.  The  result  of  that 
battle  is  well  known ;  our  force  was  reduced  from  30,000  effective 
men  to  less  than  17,000. 

"  But  Van  Dorn,  with  this  small  force,  successfully  stormed  the 
works  of  this  Gibraltar  of  Mississippi,  defended  by  35,000  men, 
composed  of  the  flower  of  the  entire  Federal  army,  and  com- 
manded by  their  favorite  general — '  Grant.'  I  say  successfully, 
because  in  the  face  of  the  strongest  and  most  formidable  works, 
protected  by  the  most  powerful  field-guns  then  in  use,  and  sup- 
ported by  35,000  bayonets,  Van  Dorn,  with  less  than  17,000  men 
succeeded  in  capturing  the  works  and  driving  its  defenders  back 
into  the  town,  with  great  slaughter,  where  they  were  forced  to 
take  refuge  in  the  houses.  But  this  success  was  gained  by  the 
loss  of  nearly  one-half  of  our  number  in  killed  and  wounded, 
which  weakened  our  army  to  such  an  extent  that  the  largely  re- 
inforced enemy  were  enabled  to  repulse,  and  after  a  stubborn 
hand-to-hand  fight  drive  us  out  of  the  fortifications.  This  battle 
ended  the  Wset  Tennessee  campaign,  but  did  not  end  the  brilliant 
exploits  of  Van  Dora. 

"  On  December  19,  1862,  with  2,000  cavalry  volunteers,  he 
made  a  detour  around  Grant's  army,  and  struck  its  rear  guard 
at  Holly  Springs,  Miss.  The  enemy  were  taken  completely  by 
surprise,  and  we  captured  the  town  without  the  loss  of  a  single 
man,  we  took  nearly  2,000  prisoners  and  destroyed  the  immense 
collection  of  army  stores  found  there.  This  movement  was  of 
the  greatest  importance  to  the  Confederacy,  as  the  destruction  of 
Grant's  supplies  caused  him  to  abandon  his  advance  on  Vicks- 
burg  and  fall  back  to  Memphis ;  it  practically  put  an  end  to  that 
season's  campaign.  The  surprise  of  the  Federals  at  Holly 
Springs  caused  some  ludicrous  -scenes.  A  lady  came  to  Van 
Dorn,  and  said :  '  General,  Colonel  Murphy  is  concealed  in  my 
house/  and  upon  a  search  being  made,  the  gallant  Federal  com- 


276  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

mander  was  found  under  the  lady's  bed  in  his  night  clothes.  The 
provost  marshal  was  also  taken  in  bed  with  his  wife,  and  when 
discovered,  he  pulled  the  bed-clothes  over  his  head,  and  cried 
out :  '  I  will  surrender.'  After  the  destruction  of  the  vast  accu- 
mulation of  stores  found  there,  the  railroad  was  destroyed  and  a 
•successful  retreat  accomplished.  Van  Dorn  was  engaged  in  many 
active  and  brilliant  operations  until  May  7,  1863,  when  the  life 
of  this  noble  man  was  ended  by  the  hand  of  an  assassin.  A 
renegade  Tenneesean,  who  had  many  times  been  befriended  by 
Van  Dorn,  but  regardless  of  the  debts  of  gratitude  that  he  owed 
his  benefactor,  he  brutally  murdered  him.  After  the  fatal  shot 
was  fired,  Van  Dorn  never  breathed.  Thus  ended  the  career  of 
the  gallant,  noble  and  patriotic  Earl  Van  Dorn,  whose  equal  in 
many  respects  is  not  known,  or  recorded  in  history.  Had  he  lived 
to  the  close  of  the  war,  there  would  be  found  gallant  acts  before 
unheard  of.  His  loss  to  the  Southern  cause  at  that  critical  period 
was  irreparable,  and  contributed  largely  to  its  collapse." 

GENERAL  VAN  DORN  AND  GENERAL  FORREST. 

"  In  the  last  week  of  April,  1863,  a  clash  occurred  between  these 
two  celebrated  Confederate  cavalry  commanders  at  Spring  Hill, 
Tenn.,  interesting  on  account  of  their  rank  and  celebrity,  and  so 
honorable  to  both,  that  I  feel  impelled  to  contribute  it  to  these 
'  Reminiscences.' 

"  There  must  be  premised  as  historical  facts  that  Generals  Van 
Dorn  and  Forrest  were  the  antipodes  of  each  other  and  of  their 
respective  classes — only  brought  into  contact  by  that  tremendous 
necessity  that  in  time  of  civil  commotion  compresses  men  of  all 
sorts  together.  Van  Dorn  was  the  son  of  generations  of  social 
culture,  a  West  Point  graduate,  and  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
officers  of  the  old  United  States  Army  with  all  its  class  virtues, 
prejudices,  and  faults  exemplified  in  his  person.  (These  prej- 
udices were  especially  illustrated  by  the  singular  fact  so  observed 
and  bitterly  resented  by  all  their  volunteer  followers  on  either 
side  that  the  old  army  officers  were  much  'more  attached  to  one 
another,  though  a  river  of  blood  ran  between,  than  they  were  to 
their  officers  and  soldiers  around  them  engaged  in  the  same  cause 
with  themselves,  subject  to  their  orders,  and  daily  exposed  to  the 
same  perils.  This  class  feeling  was  at  the  bottom  of  Gen.  Grant's 


Last  Days.  277 

magnanimity  at  Appomattox,  and  was  signally  exhibited  by  the 
'  fraternization '  on  that  occasion,  of  which  we  have  so  many 
recorded  instances.) 

"  Forrest  was  emphatically  a  son  of  the  people,  an  untrained 
man,  a  keeper  of  a  livery  stable,  and  absolutely  without  antece- 
dents. Both  were  intellectual,  high-minded  and  heroically  brave, 
and  Jeffersonian  in  their  political  principles.  When  the  unavoid- 
able collision,  postponed  by  Hamilton  and  Jefferson,  came  between 
their  schools,  and  the  aristocrat  and  the  proletarian  of  the  South, 
constrained  by  the  danger  to  their  common  principles,  rushed  to 
arms,  Van  Dorn,  the  Mississippian,  and  Forrest,  the  Tennessean, 
drew  their  swords  and  linked  their  fortunes  under  the  same  flag. 
The  one  began  the  struggle  high  in  rank,  the  other  as  captain  of 
a  cavalry  company.  Each  obtained  great  distinction  in  the  Con- 
federate army,  and  died  major-generals,  the  former  in  May, 
1865,  and  the  latter  at  his  home  in  Memphis  many  years  after  the 
war.  The  one  sustained  a  great  reputation  for  skill  and  courage, 
gained  on  many  bloody  battle-fields  prior  to  1861,  in  the  Mexican 
and  Indian  wars ;  the  other  won  an  equally  high  rank  and  a  more 
extended  reputation  by  innumerable  deeds  in  arms  during  the 
four  years  of  civil  conflict.  Both  illustrated  American  character 
when  living,  and  their  respective  careers  form  a  part  of  Amer- 
ican history  now  that  they  are  dead. 

"  In  January,  1863,  the  Confederate  cavalry  forces  of  North 
Mississippi  and  West  Tennessee  were  organized  into  a  corps 
nearly  4,000  strong,  and  the  two  divisions  of  Forrest  and  Jack- 
son, commanded  by  Van  Dorn,  proceeded  to  Columbia,  Ten- 
nessee, on  Duck  River,  in  February  of  that  year.  Shortly  there- 
after, they  took  part  at  Spring  Hill,  half  way  to  Franklin,  and  in 
March  fought  a  successful  action  against  a  portion  of  Gen. 
Grainger's  United  States  forces  sent  out  against  them  from  the 
latter  place,  capturing  an  entire  brigade  (Coburn's  Indiana). 
Various  points  of  controversy  had  arisen  between  the  two  Con- 
federate generals  during  their  two  months'  association,  both 
capable  and  ambitious,  and  distrustful  of  each  other's  entente 
cordiah,  because  probably  of  the  general  premises  aforesaid. 
Also  the  one  had  recently  been  circumscribed  in  command  by 
reason  of  his  disaster  at  Corinth,  and  the  other  had  risen  to  the 
second  highest  rank  in  the  cavalry  line  by  an  uninterrupted  suc- 
cession of  victorious  exploits. 


278  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

"  Under  these  strained  circumstances  their  relations  had  grown 
into  a  severely  formal  official  intercourse,  until  about  two  weeks 
before  the  death  of  Gen.  Van  Dorn  matters  were  brought  to  an 
issue  by  Gen.  Van  Dorn  because  of  information,  true  or  untrue, 
that  had  been  brought  to  his  ears,  of  Gen.  Forrest's  misrepresen- 
tation of  certain  military  matters  to  the  department  commander 
at  Tullahoma,  Gen.  Joseph  E.  Johnston. 

"  One  morning,  as  was  my  habit  as  a  staff  officer  of  Gen.  Van 
Dorn,  I  went  to  his  room  in  the  house  of  Martin  Chairs,  at  Spring 
Hill,  Tenn.  (the  same  room  in  which  he  was  assassinated  on  the 
7th  of  May  a  few  weeks  later),  to  get  my  orders  for  the  day. 
Upon  entering,  I  found  the  two  Generals  standing  and  engaged 
in  an  earnest  discussion.  So  much  occupied  were  they  that  my 
entrance  was  not  observed,  and  I  immediately  retired.  Shortly 
thereafter  observing  from  the  yard  the  departure  of  Gen. 
Forrest,  I  returned  to  the  room,  and  Gen.  Van  Dorn,  after  inviting 
me  to  be  seated,  at  once  communicated  to  me  what  had  just  oc- 
curred between  himself  and  Gen.  Forrest,  in  about  the  following 
language :  '  Well,  I  must  say  I  have  a  higher  opinion  of  Gen. 
Forrest  than  I  have  ever  held  before,  and  really  I  feel  rebuked 
and  ashamed  of  myself.  After  Forrest  and  I  had  despatched  the 
business  that  brought  him  to  see  me  this  morning,  and  he  was 
about  to  leave,  I  asked  him  to  resume  his  seat  as  I  wished  some 
particular  conversation  with  him.  And  then,  without  mincing 
matters,  I  called  his  attention  to  the  reports  I  had  heard,  and  ac- 
cused him  of  misrepresentation  at  headquarters.  This  he  warmly 
denied  and  expressed  his  conviction  of  my  too  great  willingness  to 
listen  to  stories  to  his  discredit.  One  thing  led  to  another,  until 
at  length  I  threw  off  all  restraint,  and  directly  expressing  my 
belief  in  his  treachery  and  falsehood,  suggested  that  then  and 
there  was  as  good  a  time  and  place  to  settle  our  difficulties  as 
any,  and  suiting  the  action  to  the  word,  I  stepped  to  where  my 
sword  was  hanging  against  the  wall,  snatched  it  down  and  turned 
to  face  him.  Forrest  (said  Van  Dorn  with  a  smile)  was  really 
a  sight  to  see.  He  had  risen  and  advanced  one  step,  his  sword 
half  drawn  from  its  scabbard,  and  his  face  aflame  with  feeling. 
But  even  as  I  unsheathed  my  own  sword  and  advanced  to  meet 
him,  a  wave  of  some*  kind  seemed  to  pass  over  his  countenance ;  he 
slowly  returned  his  sword  to  its  sheath,  and  steadily  regarding  me 
said,  '  General  Van  Dorn,  you  know  I'm  not  afraid  of  you, — 


VAN  DORN  AND  FORREST. 


Last  Days.  279 

but  I  will  not  fight  you, — and  leave  you  to  reconcile  with  yourself 
the  gross  wrong  you  have  done  me.  It  would  n^ver  do  for  two 
officers  of  our  rank  to  set  such  an  example  to  the  troops,  and  I 
remember,  if  you  forget,  what  we  both  owe  to  the  cause."  I 
never  felt  so  ashamed  of  myself  in  my  life/  Gen.  Van  Dorn  went 
on  to  say,  '  and  recalled  by  Forrest's  manly  attitude  and  words 
to  our  true  position,  I  immediately  replied  that  he  was  right,  and 
apologized  for  having  used  any  such  expressions  to  him.  And  so 
we  parted  to  be  somewhat  better  friends,  I  believe,  than  we  have 
been  before.  Whatever  else  he  may  be,  the  man  is  certainly  no 
coward.' 

"  But  this  was  not  to  be.  Within  two  weeks  of  that  day,  Gen. 
Van  Dorn  fell  by  an  assassin's  hand,  and  Gen.  Forrest,  his  suc- 
cessor, awarded  him  a  magnificent  funeral,  attended  by  all  the 
pomp  and  circumstance  and  pageantry  that  marks  the  burial  of 
the  dead  soldier. 


APPENDIX. 


280-281-282 


Appendix.  283 


APPENDIX. 

ANOTHER  VERSION  OF  THE  FORREST  AFFAIR. 

"  The  sketch  of  the  mountain  maiden  who  sat  on  the  crupper 
of  Gen.  Forrest's  horse,  as  guide  to  him  in  the  final  hours  of  his 
wonderful  charge  after  Colonel  Streight  and  his  band  of  1,600 
bridge  burners,  does  but  give  intensity  to  the  overshadowing  fame 
of  the  hero  himself. 

"  General  Earl  Van  Dorn  was  in  Middle  Tennessee.  Forrest 
was  operating  there  under  him.  Forrest  had  recently  captured  in 
Tennessee  a  large  number  of  cavalry  saddles  and  bridles  from 
the  United  States.  His  own  men  were  very  badly  equipped,  and 
he  allowed  them  to  throw  away  their  inferior  saddles  and  bridles 
for  the  captured  supply.  Forrest  reported  to  Van  Dorn,  and 
Van  Dorn  reported  to  Bragg,  commander  of  the  whole  territory, 
at  Chattanooga,  the  fact  of  the  capture  of  the  cavalry  equipments 
from  the  United  States.  Bragg  wanted  horse  equipments  for 
Wheeler,  and  at  once  ordered  Van  Dorn  to  send  to  Chatta- 
nooga the  supply  Forrest  had  captured.  Van  Dorn  called  For- 
rest to  his  headquarters  and  repeated  Bragg's  order  in  person. 
Forrest  nervously  replied :  '  I  ain't  got  any  to  turn  over.'  '  Gen- 
eral,' replied  Gen.  Van  Dorn,  '  your  report  to  me  was  that  yon 
captured  the  equipments,  and  I  forwarded  your  report,  and 
your  report  was  untrue,  if  you  claim  that  you  have  not  the 
saddles  is  true.'  '  This  war  won't  last  always,  General  Van  Dorn, 
and  we  can  settle  later  on,'  furiously  responded  Forrest.  'It  is  I 
unnecessary  to  wait  the  termination  of  the  war,  General/  said 
Van  Dorn,  gently  rising  from  his  seat. 

"  Forrest  silently  strode  the  floor  of  the  office  and  presently 
spoke.  '  I  reckon,  General,  we  have  both  got  as  much  as  we  want 
if  we  fight  the  Yankees,'  he  said.  Van  Dorn  instantly  seized  his 
opportunity,  saying  in  a  calm  and  pleasant  voice,  '  I  agree  with 
you,  General,  and  I  am  now  going  to  start  you  on  a  ride  that  will 


284  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

please  you.  A  large  mounted  expedition  has  gone  off  into  Ala- 
bama from  the  enemy's  main  body.  Catch  it,  if  you  can,  for  it 
is  in  the  rear  of  General  Bragg,  and  he  is  anxious.' 

"  Forrest  crossed  the  Tennessee  about  Mussels  Shoals  or  in  that 
vicinity.  He  reached  Courtland,  Ala.,  while  a  fight  was  going  on 
between  some  of  his  men  and  the  rear  of  Streight's  column. 
(There  he  ordered  Captain  W.  S.  Bankhead,  a  planter  residing 
there,  and  who  was  a  member  of  Roddy's  staff,  to  take  out  into 
the  mountains  the  broken-down  men  and  horses,  out  of  reach  oft 
danger  from  the  enemy.  He  at  once  continued  his  pursuit  of 
Streight. 

"  Forrest  finally,  with  350  men  and  a  few  guns,  overtook 
Streight  with  his  1,100  men.  Forrest  sent  forward  a  flag  of  truce 
with  a  demand  for  unconditional  surrender.  Meantime  he  moved 
his  battery  thorough  a  cut  in  an  unfinished  railroad.  The  battery 
went  down  into  thick  woods,  then  turned,  changed  horses  in  con- 
cealment and  moved  again  through  the  cut  in  full  view  of  Streight. 
This  device  was  several  times  repeated,  always  with  different 
horses. 

"  Streight  replied  to  the  demand  that  he  was  powerless  in  front 
of  so  much  artillery  and  so  large  a  force  as  Forrest  must  have  to 
support  it.  He  surrendered.  After  the  act  of  surrender  had  been 
consummated  the  Northern  commander  asked  Forrest  where  the 
balance  of  his  force  was.  Forrest  answered  that  he  had  brought 
just  enough  along  with  him ! 

"  Before  General  Van  Dorn  could  have  heard  of  the  splendid 
success  of  his  subordinate's  enterprise,  he  fell  dead  in  his  seat 
at  his  headquarters.  A  physician  of  the  vicinity  had  shot  him  in 
the  back  without  warning.  This  man  had  just  received  from 
Van  Dorn  a  pass  through  the  Confederate  lines.  He  deliberately 
rode  out  of  camp  over  into  the  enemy's  lines. 

"  Van  Dorn  was  a  small  man,  fastidious  in  dress,  elegant  in  his 
manners,  a  West  Pointer,  an  Indian  fighter  of  fame  and  a  Confed- 
erate soldier  of  high  rank  and  rare  promise.  He  was  a  Missis- 
sippian. 

"  Forrest  was  an  illiterate  farm  boy,  who  was  reared  in  the 
northern  part  of  Mississippi  to  large  stature  and  robust  manhood. 
At  an  early  age  he  began  a  remarkably  successful  business  career. 
When  the  war  broke  out  he  entered  the  ranks  as  a  private,  a  man 
of  fortune. 


Appendix.  285 

"  Colonel  Straight  was  put  in  Ludlow  prison  at  Richmond.  He 
was  one  of  200  captive  officers  who  tunneled  their  way  under  the 
house  and  escaped  for  the  time.  Streight  was  recaptured  in  the 
suburbs  of  the  city.  Some  of  the  party  finally  escaped  capture. 
He  was  a  very  brave  man,  and  wept  bitterly  when  he  found  how 
Forrest  had  deceived  him  in  Alabama." 

"  SHIELDSBORO,  HANCOCK  Co.,  Miss., 
"  July  20,  1867. 

"I  have  read  your  letter  with  melancholy  interest.  Every  pang 
that  you  feel,  when  mourning  the  unjust  persecution  and  the  un- 
happy fate  of  General  Van  Dorn, finds  a  response  in  my  heart.  I 
admired  and  loved  him,  and  the  fiery  furnace  through  which  he 
passed,  in  the  latter  part  of  his  career,  only  endeared  him  the 
more  to  me.  I  never  saw  the  proceedings  of  the  court  of  inquiry 
to  which  you  refer,  but  my  intimate  knowledge  of  him,  and  the 
promptings  of  my  own  heart,  satisfied  me  that  he  was  innocent. 
A  more  honorable,  lofty,  generous  and  unsuspicious  man  never 
lived.  His  order  in  relation  to  the  press  was  right,  but  inexpedient. 
As  a  general  thing,  the  newspapers  have  interfered  seriously 
with  military  operations,  and  have  too  often  inspired  the  people 
with  false  confidence.  In  the  hands  of  inexperienced  men,  for 
the  most  part,  their  course  has  been  injudicious,  and  they  have 
often  demoralized  the  army  by  making  war  on  our  Generals.  I 
shall  never  forgive  their  conduct  to  General  Van  Dorn. 

"  As  a  Mississippian  I  was  proud  of  him,  but  I  blush  to  think 
how  he,  the  young  hero  of  so  many  battles,  was  treated  by  his 
native  State,  at  a  period  when  she  should  have  given  him  her  most 
generous  support.  I  confess  I  have  lost  my  State  pride,  as  well 
as  my  confidence  in  popular  government,  and  it  is  no  longer  my 
boast  that  I  am  a  native  Mississippian,  and  have  always  been  a 
Democrat. 

"  Mississippi,  the  first  State  to  secede  (the  2d),  and  but  for 
whom  the  Union  would  not  have  been  divided,  has  not  proved 
equal  to  the  crisis.  Her  sons,  in  other  States,  fight  bravely,  but 
at  home  the  struggle  has  been  to  evade  military  duty.  There  has 
been  no  general  rally  of  the  people — no  spirit  such  as  Spain, 
Russia  and  Germany  exhibited  against  invasion — none  of  the 
spirit  of  the  Revolution — no  more  manhood  than  we  see  now 
among  the  Dutch  cjf  Pennsylvania.  Desertion  ha^  become  an 


286  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

epidemic.  Colonel  Grierson  traversed  Mississippi  without  hav- 
ing a  gun  fired  at  him,  and  when  General  Grant  marched  from 
Grand  Gulf  to  the  capital  there  was  no  uprising  of  the  people.  In 
the  presence  of  an  army  400  men  deserted  from  the  4th  Miss. 
Cavalry ;  in  the  county  whence  I  write,  my  son  was  the  only  person 
who  responded  to  the  call  for  conscripts  and  there  are  now  here 
300  deserters.  Alas  for  Mississippi !  I  regret  that  General  Van 
Dorn  did  not  return  the  sword  which  he  could  no  longer  wear 
with  pride !  Preserve  all  his  papers  and  when  I  find  a  safe  way 
will  send  for  them.  I  will  place  him  where  he  deserves  to  stand — 
among  the  ablest,  purest  and  most  heroic  men  of  his  day,  cut  off 
by  a  murderer  and  a  villain. 

"  J.  F.  H.  CLAIBORNE. 

"  NATCHEZ,  Miss.,  Aug.  22,  1875. 

'*  P.  S. — Since  writing  I  have  found  the  highest  testimonials  to 
General  Van  Dora's  military  talent,  and  gallantry  from  Generals 
Scott,  Twiggs,  President  Davis,  Joseph  E.  Johnston,  Beauregard, 
Hardee,  Robert  E.  Lee,  George  H.  Thomas,  etc.  I  shall  have  a 
series  of  sketches  of  distingushed  officers,  and  his  will  be  the  most 
interesting  of  the  group. 

"  J.  F.  H.  CLAIBORNE/' 

EXTRACT  FROM  LETTER  OF  JEFFERSON  DAVIS. 

"  MISSISSIPPI  CITY,  Dec.  17,  1877. 

"  The  gallantry  of  Earl  Van  Dorn  in  the  war  with  Mexico, 
when  he  was  more  frequently  noticed  in  the  official  reports  of  the 
battles  for  gallantry  in  action  I  believe  that  any  other  officer 
in  that  army,  attracted  my  attention  and  caused  me  to  claim  for 
him  an  additional  brevet.  He  was  associated  with  me  in  the 
organization  of  the  army  of  the  Mississippi,  immediately  after 
the  secession  of  our  State,  and  I  was  sincerely  attached  to  him. 
Please  accept  my  thanks  for  the  sketch  you  have  given  me  of  his 
services,  to  which  I  would  thank  you  to  add  any  others  which  you 
may  be  able  to  recall.  His  action  at  Corinth  was  marked  by  his 
usual  gallantry,  and  illustrated  his  military  genius ;  to  that  you  do 
not  refer.  I  suppose  because  you  considered  it  sufficiently 
known." 


Appendix.  287 

LETTER  FROM  EX-GOVERNOR  ROBT.  LOWRY. 

"  JACKSON,  MISSISSIPPI,  May  31,  1899. 

"  Until  this  morning  I  did  not  know  the  resting  place  of  our 
late  distinguished  General  Van  Dorn.  The  people  of  Mississippi 
owe  it  to  themselves  to  see  that  his  remains  are  removed  to  a 
suitable  cemetery  and  a  shaft  erected  upon  which  there  is  an  in- 
scription commemorative  of  the  services  of  one  of  our  foremost 
Confederate  Generals,  a  gifted  military  leader,  and  a  true  manly 
gentleman.  The  people  of  his  native  State,  and  the  entire 
South,  as  well,  should  remember  the  3d  and  4th  of  October,  1862, 
when  General  Van  Dorn  made  the  gallant  fight  to  recapture  Cor- 
inth, one  of  the  most  important  fortified  places  then  in  possession 
of  the  enemy.  Nor  should  this,  or  succeeding  generations  of  the 
South,  forget  that  two  movements  had  been  planned  for  the 
capture  of  Vicksburg;  one  under  General  Sherman  by  river,  and 
the  other  under  General  Grant  to  go  through  by  land  from  Holly 
Springs,  with  that  city  as  his  base  of  supplies.  General  Van  Dorn 
with  a  dash  and  brilliancy  unsurpassed,  in  December,  1862,  moved 
on  Holly  Springs,  which  he  captured  with  its  large  garrison.  He 
destroyed  immense  stores  valued  at  nearly  tv  •  million  dollars, 
which  had  been  collected  thus  to  supply  General  Grant  on  his 
march  through  the  State,  and  forced  him  to  abandon  his  attack  on 
that  line.  A  brilliant  and  gifted  officer  was  Major-General  Van 
Dorn. 

"  ROBERT  LOWRY." 

LETTER  FROM  ONE  OF  GENERAL  VAN  DORN's  SCOUTS. 

"  MEMPHIS,  TENN.,  November  10,  1899. 

"  I  saw  a  few  days  ago  that  the  remains  of  General  Earl  Van 
Dorn  were  reinterred  at  Port  Gibson,  his  old  home.  I  have  tried 
several  times  since  the  war  to  learn  where  he  was  buried.  I 
asked  General  Frank  C.  Armstrong  several  years  ago  and  he  was 
of  the  opinion  that  the  General  was  buried  at  Selma,  Alabama,  and 
I  was  there  during  the  summer  but  found  no  trace  of  his  remains 
there.  I  was  a  private  soldier  in  Ned  Saunders'  scouts.  My  com- 
pany was  his  escort  during  the  command  of  his  cavalry  career, 
and  I  was  the  first  man  who  reached  his  headquarters  outside  of 
his  escort,  when  he  was  shot,  many  of  whom  weie  in  the  room, 


288  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

weeping  as  though  h«  had  been  a  brother,  and  with  aid  of 
members  of  his  escort  laid  him  down,  and  he  only  breathed  once 
after  w«  got  him  arranged,  as  we  thought,  comfortably.  I, 
with  over  a  hundred  soldiers  chased  his  assassin  inside  the 
Federal  lines.  I  want  it  known,  from  one  of  his  command,  that 
his  men  worshipped  him,  and  all  that  was  necessary  was  for  him 
to  command,  and  his  men  would  execute  the  most  difficult  under- 
takings. And  we  all  felt  when  he  died,  that  we  had  lost  a  com- 
mander whose  services  could  not  be  equaled  by  any  in  the  Con- 
federacy, and  I  go  farther — I  do  not  think  the  world  has  ever 
produced  such  a  cavalry  commander  as  Earl  Van  Dorn,  and  I 
hope  it  will  be  my  pleasure  to  lay  a  flower  on  his  tomb  before  I 
too  pass  over  the  river.  I  wrote  to  the  Secretary  of  State  of 
Mississippi  several  years  ago  to  try  to  find  out  if  any  of  the 
General's  family  still  lived,  and  for  their  address,  but  had  no  re- 
sponse. His  death,  together  with  Stonewall  Jackson's,  broke  the 
backbone  of  the  Confederacy.  I  would  be  glad  to  hear  any  par- 
ticulars about  the  General's  family.  After  the  General  died  we 
served  with  General  Frank  Armstrong,  as  Saunders  Battalion. 

"  Very  respectfully, 

"  MARK  W.  SEARCY." 

MAJOR-GENERAL  EARL  VAN  DORN. 

(From  a  Port  Gibson  Paper.) 

As  the  debris  of  war  is  disappearing  before  the  approaches  of 
returning  peace,  and  as  the  smoke  of  the  battle  has  evaporated, 
and  joined  the  upper  regions,  it  will  not  be  improper  that  we 
should  look  around  us  and  see  who  and  what  remains  on  this 
side  of  the  scenes  of  belligerency.  As  reason  resumes  her  wonted 
peace,  and  reflection  gathers  in  the  folds  of  its  drapery  to  prac- 
tical dimensions,  we  may  be  able  to  look  into  the  past  five  years 
with  impartial  eyes  and  deal  generously,  even  justly,  with  those 
whom  malice,  and  envy,  and  thoughtlessness,  and  haste,  have 
conspired  to  injure,  if  not  to  destroy. 

One  of  the  clergymen  of  Virginia  said,  sometime  since,  that 
the  Confederacy  died  ~>f  a  disease  called  "  Congress  and  the 
Press."  We  think  he  was  largely  rigtht.  We  had  less  patriotism, 
and  less  practical  sense  in  Congress,  than  ever  was  found  in  a 


Appendix.  289 

similar  body,  with  such  an  imposing  cognomen,  and  for  such 
important  purposes.  The  press  was  likewise.  It  slew  more 
generals  than  the 'Federal  army,  and  when  it  once  fixed  its  pegs 
as  to  how  far  a  public  man  should  go,  he  got. 

We  have  long  intended  to  enter  into  an  investigation  of  the 
charge  against  General  Van  Dorn,  deeming  it  due  to  his  former 
services,  his  native  county,  and  to  his  many  friends,  but  we  learn 
that  a  distinguished  gentleman  is  collecting  material  for  a  biog- 
raphy, and  we  shall  content  ourselves  with  such  references  to 
him  and  his  services  as  time  and  circumstances  may  suggest. 
In  the  meantime,  to  show  the  high  appreciation  in  which  Gen- 
eral Van  Dorn  was  held  at  the  time  of  his  death,  by  officers  of 
rank  and  distinction,  and  they  don't  catch  at  slanders  as  children 
do  at  bubbles,  we  publish  the  following  order,  issued  by  Gen- 
eral Jackson,  on  the  announcement  of  General  Van  Dorn's  death. 
The  order,  in  consequence  of  the  want  of  newspapers,  was  never 
published,  except  in  some  of  the  Tennessee  and  one  of  the  Mobile 
papers. 

We  have  a  copy  of  the  proceedings  of  the  Court  of  Inquiry, 
in  the  case  of  General  Van  Dorn,  which  wie  shall  be  glad  to  loan 
to  any  intelligent  reader.  He  demanded  an  investigation  into 
all  charges,  outside  of  the  specifications,  affecting  his  capacity  or 
character.  He  was  unanimously  acquitted  of  all  charges  and 
specifications  by  the  Court,  composed  of  Generals  Price,  Maury 
and  Tilghman.  We  shall  refer  to  this  again  at  a  proper  time. 

"JACKSON,  Miss.,  April  15,  1892. 

(32  years  after  the  war.) 
"  DEAR  FRIEND  : 

"  I  should  be  glad  to  have  a  photograph  of  the  distinguished 
Major-General  Earl  Van  Dorn,  for  a  History  of  Mississippi.  It 
is  our  purpose  to  furnish  the  rising  generations  of  Mississippians 
with  a  number  of  the  pictures  of  the  soldiers  in  order  to  famil- 
iarize the  children  of  the  State  with  the  features  of  the  most 
distinguished  of  the  Mississippi  soldiers. 

"  I  knew  General  Van  Dorn  rather  intimately  during  the  early 
part  of  the  war,  and  I  need  hardly  add  to  you,  who  knew  so  well 
the  high  and  honorable  character  of  the  man,  and  his  many 
attractive  and  loveable  traits  of  character,  that  won  for  him  so 
many  friends  of  all  ranks  in  and  out  of  the  Army,  that  I  esteemed 


2Qo  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

him  most  highly,  as  well  as  a  friend  in  whom  I  reposed  the 
utmost  confidence,  as  well  as  a  soldier  who  was  destined  to  a  dis- 
tinguished position  in  the  annals  of  the  South,  in  the  mightiest 
war  of  the  ages.  But  alas,  he  died  untimely,  and  too  soon  for 
the  full  fruition  of  his  fame. 

"WM.    H.    MCCARDLE, 

("  Journalist  and  Historian  of  Mississippi.") 

A  NARROW  ESCAPE. 

At  Water  Valley,  Miss.,  on  retreat  from  Abbeville  to  Grenada, 
Water  Valley  being  between  the  two  places,  General  Van  Dorn 
and  staff  paused  at  the  hotel  for  dinner.  Lieutenant  Brady  with 
sixty- four  veteran  cavalry  (formerly  of  the  United  States 
Army),  halted  on  the  hill  overlooking  the  town.  The  Federals 
heard  that  Van  Dorn  was  in  the  Valley,  and  if  they  would  make 
a  dash  in  the  town  they  could  capture  him  and  his  staff.  Lieu- 
tenant Bradley  with  his  bodyguard  was  on  the  hill ;  the  main 
infantry  force  had  gone  on,  and  the  two  bodies  were  cut  off. 
The  Federal  cavalry  were  seen  coming  and  Van  Dorn  saw  his 
danger,  took  his  field-glasses  to  observe  Brady's  position,  and 
after  scanning  the  hill,  turned  with  beaming,  sparkling  eyes  to 
his  staff  and  called  out :  "  Gentlemen,  Brady  is  going  to  come 
through!  "  He  saw  the  cavalry  forming,  and  with  a  swoop  down 
the  hill  to  the  Valley  in  columns  of  fours,  Colonel  Brady  swung 
his  cavalry  and  scattered  the  Federals  like  chaff  before  the  wind. 
Bloody  sabers  were  sheathed,  and  Van  Dorn  and  staff  and  the 
gallant  band  were  safe. 

VAN  DORN,  THE  HERO  OF  MISSISSIPPI. 

BY  MAJOR-GENERAL  DABNEY  H.   MAURY. 

General  Earl  Van  Dorn  was,  in  the  opinion  of  the  writer,  the 
most  remarkable  man  the  State  of  Mississippi  has  ever  known. 
My  acquaintance  with  him  began  in  Monterey,  in  the  fall  of 
1846.  He  was  aide-de-camp  then  to  General  Persifer  F.  Smith, 
and  was  one  of  the  most  attractive  young  fellows  in  the  army. 
He  used  to  ride  a  beautiful  bay  Andalusian  horse,  and  as  he 
came  galloping  along  the  lines,  with  his  yellow  hair  waving  in 


Appendix.  291 

the  wind  and  his  bright  face  lighted  with  kindliness  and  courage, 
we  all  loved  to  see  him.  His  figure  was  lithe  and  graceful,  his 
stature  did  not  exceed  five  feet  eight  inches,  but  his  clear  blue 
eyes,  his  firm  set  mouth,  with  white  strong  teeth,  his  well-cut  nose 
with  expanding  nostrils,  gave  assurance  of  a  man  whom  men 
could  trust  and  follow.  No  young  officer  came  out  of  the  Mex- 
ican war  with  a  reputation  more  enviable  than  his.  After  the 
close  of  that  war  he  resumed  his  duties  and  position  in  the  in- 
fantry regiment  of  which  he  was  a  lieutenant.  In  1854  the 
Second  Cavalry  was  organized,  and  Van  Dorn  was  promoted  to 
be  the  major  of  the  regiment.  He  conducted  several  of  the  most 
important  and  successful  expeditions  against  tht  Comanches  we 
have  ever  made,  and  in  one  of  them  was  shot  through  the  body, 
the  point  of  the  arrow  just  protruding  through  the  skin.  No 
surgeon  was  at  hand.  Van  Dorn,  reflecting  that  to  withdraw 
the  arrow  would  leave  the  barbed  head  in  his  body,  thrust  it  on 
through,  and  left  the  surgeon  little  to  do.  When  the  States 
resumed  their  State  sovereignty  he  took  a  bold  and  efficient  part 
in  securing  to  Texas,  where  he  was  serving,  all  of  the  war  ma- 
terial within  her  borders.  Early  in  the  war  he  was  ordered  to 
join  the  army  under  General  Joe  Johnston  at  Manassas ;  whence 
soon  after,  in  February,  1861,  he  was  ordered  to  take  command 
of  the  trans-Mississippi  Department. 

I  was  associated  with  him  in  this  command  as  chief  of  his 
staff  and  saw  him  daily  for  many  months.  He  had  conceived 
the  bold  project  of  capturing  St.  Louis  and  transferring  the  war 
into  Illinois,  and  was  actively  engaged  in  preparing  for  this  en- 
terprise when  he  was  summoned  by  General  Price  to  Boston 
Mountain,  where  the  forces  of  Price  and  McCulloch  lay  in  great 
need  of  a  common  superior — for  these  two  generals  could  not 
cooperate  because  of  questions  of  rank.  Therefore,  Van  Dorn 
promptly  responded  to  Price's  summons,  and  in  a  few  hours  was 
in  the  saddle  and  on  his  way  to  Van  Buren.  I  went  with  him, 
and  one  aide-de-camp  and  an  orderly.  Van  Dorn  rode  a  fine 
thoroughbred  black  mare  he  had  brought  from  Virginia.  I  was 
mounted  on  a  sorrel  I  had  bought  in  Pocahontas  a  few  hours  be- 
fore we  set  out.  Except  my  sorrel  mare,  Van  Dorn's  black  mare 
was  the  hardest  trotter  in  the  world,  and  as  we  trotted  fifty-five 
miles  every  day  for  five  or  six  days,  we  had  a  very  unusual  oppor- 
tunity of  learning  all  that  a  hard  trotter  can  do  to  a  man  in  a 


292  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

long  day's  march.  Had  it  not  been  that  we  slept  every  night  in 
a  feather  bed  that  soothed  our  sore  bones  and  served  as  a  poul- 
tice to  our  galled  saddk-pieces,  we  would  have  been  permanently 
disabled  for  cavalry  service  forever. 

Van  Dorn  had  planned  the  battle  of  Elkhorn  well ;  he  had 
moved  so  rapidly  from  Boston  Mountain,  with  the  forces  of 
Price  and  McCullooh  combined,  that  he  caught  the  enemy  unpre- 
pared, and  with  his  divisions  so  far  separated  that  but  for  the 
inevitable  indiscipline  of  troops  so  hastily  thrown  together  he 
would  have  destroyed  the  whole  Federal  army.  By  the  loss  of 
thirty  minutes  in  reaching  Bentonville  we  lost  the  cutting  off  of 
Siegel  with  7,000  men,  who  were  hurrying  to  join  the  main  body 
on  Sugar  Creek.  But  we  pushed  him  hard  all  that  day,  and  after 
he  had  closed  upon  the  main  body  Van  Dorn,  leaving  a  small 
force  to  occupy  the  attention  in  front,  threw  his  army,  by  a  night 
march,  quite  around  the  Federal  army  and  across  their  only  road 
by  which  retreat  to  Missouri  could  be  effected.  He  handled 
his  forces  well ;  always  attacking,  always  pressing  the  enemy 
back.  When  he  heard  of  the  death  in  quick  succession  of  the 
three  principal  commanders  of  his  right  wing — McCulloch,  Mc- 
Intosh  and  Hebert — and  the  consequent  withdrawal  from  the 
attack  of  that  whole  wing,  he  only  set  his  lips  a  little  firmer ;  his 
blue  eyes  blazed  brighter,  and  his  nostril*  looked  wider,  as  he 
said,  "  Then  we  must  press  them  the  harder !  "  And  he  did,  too, 
and  he  had  everything  moving  finely  by  sundown,  and  all  the 
enemy's  line  before  us  in  full  retreat  at  a  run,  and  falling  back 
into  their  wagon  trains;  when,  by  misapprehension  on  the  part 
of  the  commander  with  our  advanced  troops,  the  pursuit  was  ar- 
rested, our  forces  withdrawn  from  the  attack  to  go  into  bivouac, 
and  the  enemy  was  permitted  to  quietly  reorganize  his  army  and 
prepare  for  a  combined  attack  upon  us  in  the  morning.  During 
the  night  we  found  that  most  of  our  batteries  and  regiments  had 
exhausted  their  ammunition,  and  the  ordnance  train,  with  all  the 
reserve  ammunition,  had  been  sent  away,  fifteen  miles  back,  on 
the  road  along  which  we  had  come,  and  the  enemy  lay  between. 
There  was  nothing  left  for  Van  Dorn  but  to  get  his  train  on  the 
road  to  Van  Buren  and  his  army  off  by  the  same  route  and  to 
fight  enough  to  secure  them.  This  he  did,  and  marched  away 
unmolested. 

Arrived  at  Van  Buren,  Van  Dora  addressed  himself  to  the 


Appendix.  293 

completion  of  the  reorganization  of  his  army,  thenceforth  known 
as  the  Army  of  the  West,  and  it  was  there  he  gave  an  illustration 
of  true  magnanimity — very  rarely  known  in  ambitious  men — by 
the  offer  he  made  to  move  with  all  his  forces  to  reinforce  Gen- 
eral Sidney  Johnston  at  Corinth.  By  this  he  surrendered  the 
great  independent  command  of  the  trans-Mississippi  Department 
and  all  the  plans  he  had  formed  for  the  sake  of  Ws  views  of  the 
best  interests  of  their  common  country,  and  became  a  subordinate 
commander  of  an  army  corps  instead  of  the  commander-in-chief 
of  a«n  army.  He  hoped  to  reach  Johnston  in  time  for  the  battle 
of  Shiloh,  and  had  he  done  so,  would  have  given  a  very  different 
result  to  that  critical  battle.  But  Shiloh  had  been  fought  and 
our  army,  under  Beaure^ard,  was  occupying  the  works  of  Corinth 
when  Van  Dorn,  with  the  Army  of  the  West,  16,000  effectives, 
reached  that  point.  We  lay  near  Corinth  more  than  six  weeks 
and  three  times  offered  battle  to  Halleck,  who,  with  100,000  men, 
was  cautiously  advancing  as  if  to  attack  us.  Three  times  our 
army,  40,000  strong,  marched  out  of  its  intrenchrnents  and  ad- 
vanced to  meet  Halleck  and  give  him  battle,  but  every  time  he 
drew  back  and  declined  it.  In  every  council  Van  Dorn's  voice 
was  for  war.  May  3Oth,  1862,  Beauregard  evacuated  his  works 
in  a  masterly  manner,  and  marched  south  unmolested  to  Tupelo, 
when  he  halted  the  army  and  held  it  ready  for  battle.  In  June 
Van  Dorn  was  ordered  to  go  to  Vicksburg,  which  was  threatened 
with  attack,  and  was  in  poor  condition  for  defense.  He  evinced 
here  great  energy  and  ability.  He  repulsed  the  enemy's  fleet,  put 
the  place  in  a  good  condition  of  defense,  occupied  Port  Hudson, 
and  there  erected  such  works  as  enabled  us  for  a  year  longer  to 
control  the  Mississippi  River  and  its  tributaries  so  as  to  keep  open 
free  intercourse  with  the  trans-Mississippi,  whence  large  supplies 
.for  the  armies  on  this  side  were  drawn.  He  organized  an  ex- 
pedition against  Baton  Rouge  during  this  time,  which  but  for  the 
cholera,  which  swept  off  half  of  the  force,  and  the  untimely 
breaking  down  of  the  ram  "  Arkansas'  "  engine  when  almost  with- 
in ranc^e  of  that  town,  would  have  been  a  brilliant  and  complete 
success. 

After  this  Van  Dorn  urged  General  Price,  who  had  been  left 
at  Tupelo  with  the  Army  of  the  West  when  Bra.gg  moved  to 
Chattanooga,  to  unite  all  their  available  forces  in  Mississippi, 
carry  Corinth  by  assault,  and  sweep  the  enemy  out  of  West  Ten- 


294  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

nessee.  This,  unfortunately,  Price,  under  his  instructions,  could 
not  then  do.  Our  combined  forces  would  then  have  exceeded 
25,000  effectives,  and  there  is  no  doubt  as  to  the  results  of  the 
movement.  Later,  after  Breckenridge  had  been  detached  with 
6,000  men  and  Price  had  lost  about  4,000  on  the  luka  expedition 
(mainly  stragglers),  the  attempt  on  Corinth  was  made.  Its 
works  had  been  greatly  strengthened  and  its  garrison  greatly  in- 
creased. Van  Dorn  attacked  with  his  usual  vigor  and  dash.  His 
left  and  center  stormed  the  town,  captured  all  the  guns  in  their 
front  and  broke  Rosecrans'  centre.  The  division  comprising 
our  right  wing  remained  inactive,  so  that  the  enemy,  believing 
our  right  was  merely  making  a  feint,  detached  Stanley  with  6,000 
fresh  men  from  his  left  and  drove  us  out  of  the  town. 

Never  was  a  general  more  disappointed  than  Van  Dorn ;  but 
no  man  in  all  our  army  was  so  little  shaken  in  his  courage  by  the 
result  as  he  was.  I  think  his  was  the  highest  courage  I  have 
ever  known.  It  rose  above  every  disaster,  and  he  never  looked 
more  gallant  than  when  his  broken  army  in  utter  disorder  was 
streaming  through  the  open  woods  which  then  environed  Corinth 
and  its  formidable  defenses.  However  much  depression  all  of 
us  showed  and  felt,  he  alone  remained  unconquered ;  and  if  he 
could  have  gotten  his  forces  together  would  have  tried  it  again. 
But  seeing  that  was  impossible,  he  brought  Lovell's  division, 
which  not  having  assaulted  was  unbroken,  to  cover  the  rear  and 
moved  back  to  Chewalla,  seven  miles  west  of  Corinth,  encour- 
aging officers  and  men  to  reform  their  broken  organizations  as 
we  marched  along.  No  sooner  did  he  halt  at  Chewalla  than  he 
gave  orders  to  move  in  the  morning  to  attack  the  enemy  at 
Rienzi.  But  the  condition  of  two  of  his  three  divisions  was  such 
that  the  generals  advised  against  attempting  any  new  aggressive 
movement  until  we  could  reform  and  refit  our  commands.  My 
division  had  marched  from  Chewalla  to  attack  Corinth  with  4,800 
muskets  the  day  but  one  before.  We  left  in  the  approaches  and 
the  very  central  defenses  of  Corinth  2,000  officers  and  men  killed 
or  wounded ;  among  them  were  many  of  my  ablest  field  and  com- 
t>any  officers.  The  Missourians  had  lost  almost  as  heavily; 
Lovell's  division  alone,  not  having  attacked  the  works  at  all, 
came  off  with  but  a  trifling  loss.  It  was,  therefore,  decided  to 
move  down  to  Ripley  by  the  route  we  had  so  lately  come  over 
in  such  brave  array  and  with  such  high  hopes.  But  before  dawn 


Appendix.  295 

next  morning  Van  Dora  had  moved  the  cavalry  and  pioneers  on 
the  road  to  Rienzi,  still  resolved  to  capture  that  place,  and  march 
around  immediately  and  attack  Corinth  from  thie  opposite  di- 
rection. 

The  plan  was  worthy  of  Charles  XII.,  and  might  have  been 
successful;  and  Van  Dorn  only  abandoned  it  when  convinced 
that  he  would  inevitably  lose  his  wagon  train,  and  that  the  army 
would  feel  he  was  rash.  A  friend  said  to  him  finally :  "  Van 
Dorn,  you  are  the  only  man  I  ever  saw  who  loves  danger  for  its 
own  sake.  When  any  daring  enterprise  is  before  you,  you  cannot 
adequately  estimate  the  obstacles  in  your  way."  He  replied: 
"  While  1  do  not  admit  the  correctness  of  your  criticism,  I  feel 
how  wrong  I  shall  be  to  imperil  this  army  through  my  personal 
peculiarities,  after  what  such  a  friend  as  you  have  told  me  they 
are,  and  I  will  countermand  the  orders  and  move  at  once  on  the 
road  to  Ripley."  Few  commanders  have  ever  been  so  beset  as 
Van  Dorn  was  in  the  forks  of  the  Hatchie,  and  very  few  could 
have  extricated  a  beaten  army  as  he  did  then.  One  with  a  force 
stated  at  10,000  men  headed  him  at  the  Hatchie  bridge,  while 
Rosecrans,  with  20,000  men,  was  attacking  his  rear  at  the  Tus- 
cumbia  bridge,  only  five  miles  off.  The  whole  road  between  was 
occupied  by  a  train  of  near  four  hundred  wagons  and  a  defeated 
army  of  about  11,000  muskets.  But  Van  Dorn  was  never  for  a 
moment  dismayed.  He  repulsed  Ord  and  punished  him  severely. 
While  he  checked  Rosecrans  at  the  Tuscumbia  until  he  could  turn 
his  train  and  army  short  to  the  left,  and  cross  the  Hatchie  by  the 
Boneyard  road  without  the  loss  of  a  wagon. 

By  10  P.  M.  his  whole  army  and  train  were  safely  over  the 
Hatchie,  and  with  a  full  moon  to  light  us  on  our  way  we  briskly 
marched  for  Ripley,  where  we  drew  up  in  line  of  battle  and 
awaited  the  enemy ;  but  he  not  advancing  we  marched  to  Holly 
Springs.  When  in  November  Van  Dorn  checked  Grant's  ad- 
vance, he  then  occupied  the  works  on  the  Tallahatchie,  which  he 
held  for  a  month — Grant's  force  was  60,000,  Van  Dora's  was 
16,000.  He  then  retired  behind  the  Yallabusha  to  Grenada  and 
awaited  Grant's  advance  until  Christmas  eve,  1862,  when  leaving 
the  army  at  Grenada,  under  Loring's  command,  he  moved  with 
2,000  horse  around  Grant's  army,  swooped  down  upon  Holly 
Springs,  captured  the  garrison,  destroyed  three  months'  stores 
for  60,000  men  and  defeated  Grant's  whole  campaign  and  com- 


296  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

pelled  him  to  abandon  Mississippi.  From  that  time  Van  Dorn 
resumed  his  proper  role  as  a  general  of  cavalry,  in  which  he  had 
no  superior  in  either  army.  His  extrication  of  his  cavalry  divi- 
sion from  the  bend  of  Duck  River  equaled  his  conduct  in  the  forks 
of  the  Hatchie. 

In  the  spring  of  1863  he  was  the  chief  commander  of  the  cav- 
alry of  Bragg's  army,  then  at  Tullahoma ;  he  had  as  brigade 
commanders  Armstrong,  Jackson,  Cosby  and  Martin,  and  with 
about  8,000  men,  was  preparing  to  move  across  the  Ohio.  His 
command  was  bivouacked  in  the  fertile  region  of  Middle  Ten- 
nessee. His  headquarters  were  at  Spring  Hill,  and  almost  daily 
he  would  engage  the  enemy  with  one  of  his  brigades  while  the 
other  three  were  carefully  drilled.  His  horses  were  in  fine  order 
and  his  men  in  better  drill,  discipline  and  spirit  than  our  cavalry 
had  ever  been.  He  was  assassinated  just  as  he  was  about  to 
move  on  the  most  important  enterprise  of  his  life.  I  believe  that 
in  him  we  lost  the  greatest  cavalry  soldier  of  his  time.  His 
knowledge  of  roads  and  country  was  wonderful.  He  knew  how 
to  care  for  his  men  and  horses.  His  own  wants  were  few ;  his 
habits  simple ;  he  was  energetic  and  enduring ;  he  deferred  every- 
thing to  his  military  duty ;  he  craved  glory  beyond  everything — 
high  glory ;  there  was  no  stain  of  vainglory  about  anything  he 
ever  did  or  said.  As  the  bravest  are  ever  the  greatest,  so  was  he 
simple  and  kind,  and  gentle  as  a  child.  I  remember  one  evening 
on  our  ride  across  Arkansas  we  stopped  at  the  hospitable  house  of 
an  old  gentleman  (Dr.  Williams)  about  one  day's  m'ardh  this  side 
of  Van  Buren.  We  were  sitting  on  the  portico — Van  Dorn  and 
I — when  a  little  child  came  out  to  us;  he  called  her  to  him,  and 
soon  had  her  confidence,  and  as  she  told  him,  in  her  childlike 
way,  that  she  was  an  orphan,  and  spoke  of  her  mother,  lately 
dead,  his  eyes  filled  with  tears,  and  I  noticed  that  he  slipped  into 
her  hand  the  only  piece  of  gold  he  owned  and  asked  her  to  get 
with  it  something  to  remember  him  by. 

The  preeminent  quality  of  his  military  nature  was  that  he  was 
unconquerable.  Whether  defeated  or  victorious  he  always  con- 
trolled his  resources.  As  Napoleon  said  of  De  Saix,  he  was  all 
for  war  and  glory;  and  he  had  a  just  idea  of  glory.  There  was 
no  self-seeking  in  him,  and  he  would  die  for  duty  at  any  moment. 
His  personal  traits  were  very  charming.  His  person  was  very 
handsome;  his  manners  frank  and  simple;  with  his  friends  he 


Appendix.  297 

was  genial  and  sometimes  convivial;  but  never  did  T  know  him 
to  postpone  his  duty  for  pleasure,  or  to  pursue  conviviality  to  a 
degree  unbecoming  a  gentleman.  Take  him  for  all  in  all  he  was 
the  most  gallant  soldier  I  have  ever  known. 


A  LETTER  FROM  COLONEL  DILLON. 

"  General  D.  H.  Maury,  Chairman  Executive  Committee  Southern 
Historical  Society. 

"  DEAR  GENERAL  : — I  take  advantage  of  a  few  hours'  detention 
here  to  say,  in  reply  to  your  inquiry  of  the  I2th  inst.,  that,  while 
my  memory  is  not  fresh  as  to  all  the  details  of  General  Van 
Dorn's  operations  between  Columbia  and  Nashville,  Tenn.,  in 
1863,  or  as  to  the  precise  composition  of  his  command  at  that 
time,  yet  I  remember  that  it  contained  the  brigades  of  Forrest, 
Jackson,  Armstrong,  Whitfield  and  Cosby,  numbering,  perhaps 
7,000  effectives — cavalry  and  artillery ;  and  I  can  no  doubt  give 
you  with  tolerable  accuracy  the  main  features  of  the  transaction 
to  which  you  refer. 

"  General  Van  Dorn  arrived  at  Columbia  earlv  in  February, 
1863,  and  shortly  thereafter  (perhaps  in  March)  took  up  his  head- 
quarters at  Spring  Hill,  protecting  the  left  of  General  Bragg's 
army  and  operating  against  the  Federal  line  of  communication 
so  effectively  as  to  confine  the  enemy  closely  to  their  fortified 
positions  at  Nashville,  Brentwood,  Franklin,  Triune  and  other 
points.  Vexed  at  Van  Dorn's  frequent  attacks,  and  constantly 
increasing  proximity  to  their  line,  the  enemy  repeatedly  moved 
out  in  force  from  their  strongholds,  but  could  never  be  coaxed 
far  enough  from  them  to  justify  any  vigorous  attack  till  some 
time  in  May,  when  General  Coburn  came  out  of  Franklin  with 
about  5,000  men  and  was  enticed  to  a  point  near  Thompson's 
Station,  where,  after  a  sharp  engagement,  he  surrendered  in 
time  to  prevent  a  simultaneous  attack  in  front  and  rear — Forrest's 
brigade  having  gotten  behind  him.  On  the  day  following  Forrest 
was  sent  with  his  own  and  Armstrong's  brigade  to  attack  Brent- 
wood  (believed  to  have  been  weakened  in  order  to  replace  the 
captured  garrison  of  Franklin),  and  succeeded  in  beating  and 
capturing  the  force  there  (about  1,200),  together  with  a  large 


298  A  Soldier's  Honor 

number  of  horses  and  many  arms  of  different  kinds.  Out  of  this 
affair  came  an  altercation  between  Van  Dorn  and  Forrest,  which 
is  worthy  of  note  as  characteristic  of  both. 

"  Forrest  had  reported  his  success  to  Van  Dorn,  who  had  in 
turn  reported  to  Bragg";  and  he,  being  in  need  of  just  such  things 
as  Forrest  had  captured,  directed  Van  Dorn  to  send  them  forth- 
with to  him.  This  order  of  Bragg's  was  repeated  by  Van  Dorn  to 
Forrest,  who  replied  that  he  did  not  have  the  captured  property 
and  could  not  comply  with  the  order — I  always  supposed  that 
Forrest's  and  Armstrong's  men  appropriated  most  of  the  captured 
property  at  the  moment  of  capture.  To  this  Van  Dorn  said: 
'  Either  your  report  to  me  is  incorrect,  or  your  command  is  in 
possession  of  the  property  and  you  must  produce  and  deliver  it. 
Forrest  replied  indignantly  tliat  he  was  not  in  the  habit  of  being 
talked  to  in  that  way  and  that  the  time  would  come  when  he 
would  demand  satisfaction.  Van  Dorn  said,  quietly :  '  My 
rank  shall  be  no  barrier — you  can  have  satisfaction  at  any  time 
you  desire.' 

"  Forrest  passed  his  hand  thoughtfully  across  his  brow  and 
replied,  with  a  good  deal  of  dignity  and  grace :  '  I  have  been 
hasty,  General,  and  am  sorry  for  it.  I  do  not  fear  that  anybody 
will  misunderstand  me,  but  the  truth  is  you  and  I  have  enough 
Yankees  to  fight  without  fighting  each  other,  and  I  hope  this 
matter  will  be  forgotten.  Van  Dorn  said:  '  You  are  right,  General, 
and  I  am  sure  no  one  would  ever  suspect  you  of  not  being  ready 
for  any  kind  of  fight  at  any  time.  I  certainly  am  willing  to  drop 
the  matter,  and  can  assure  you  that  I  have  no  feeling  about  it ; 
but  I  must  insist  that  my  orders  shall  be  obeyed  as  long  as  I  am 
your  commander.  Let  us  drop  the  subject,  however,  as  I  have 
work  for  you  to  do.'  The  conversation  then  turned  on  the 
subject  of  a  Federal  raid  which  had  just  been  reported  to  Van 
Dorn  by  scouts,  and  Forrest,  being  ordered  to  intercept  it,  left 
Van  Dorn's  presence  (I  think  they  never  met  again.)  to  perform 
the  most  wonderful  feat  in  the  history  of  that  remarkable  war — 
I  refer  to  the  capture  of  Strait  and  his  command. 

"  Very  shortly  after  the  departure  of  Forrest,  General  Granger, 
having  reinforced  Franklin,  moved  out  with  a  force  of  about 
10,000  infantry  and  a  large  body  of  cavalry  and  artillery,  and 
Van  Dorn  retired  before  him,  hoping  to  repeat  the  operation 
against  Coburn;  but  finding  Granger's  force  larger  than  it  was 


Appendix.  299 

at  first  supposed,  he  determined  to  assume  the  defensive  and  take 
position  behind  Rutherford's  Creek,  a  tributary  of  Duck  River, 
with  which  it  unites  only  a  few  miles  below  Columbia.  Accord- 
ingly he  formed  his  command  on  the  left  bank  of  the  creek,  which 
at  that  point  is  about  four  miles  from  the  river  at  Columbia  and 
for  some  distance  is  nearly  parallel  with  the  river,  intending1  to 
receive  Granger's  attack  there;  but  heavy  rains  having  fallen 
on  an  already  swollen  river,  it  became  past  fording  in  a  few  hours, 
and  Van  Dorn  deemed  it  imprudent,  under  the  circumstances,  to 
risk  an  engagement  between  the  creek  and  swollen  river,  in  which, 
if  beaten,  he  would  probably  both  lose  his  command  and  leave 
Columbia  exposed.  He  therefore  decided  to  turn  up  the  river 
to  a  bridge  twenty  miles  distant,  cross,  and  return  down  the  river 
by  a  forced  march  to  cover  Columbia  before  the  enemy  could 
cross,  he  (Van  Dorn)  having  forty  miles  to  move  and  they  only 
four.  This  bold  and  dexterous  movement  was  accomplished  in* 
spite  of  the  fact  that  the  enemy,  seeing  his  position,  pressed  vig- 
orously upon  Van  Dorn's  right  to  force  him  into  the  fork;  but 
finding  that  he  had  extricated  himself  and  reached  Columbia  be- 
fore any  preparation  could  be  made  by  them  to  cross,  they  retired 
immediately,  seeming  to  fear  that  their  absence  from  Franklin 
might  tempt  so  daring  and  expeditious  an  opponent  as  Van  Dorn 
to  precede  them  to  that  point.  Van  Dorn  at  once  resumed  his 
position  at  Spring  Hill,  and  his  assassination  followed  very 
quickly.  My  recollection  is  that,  during  the  few  months  of  his 
brilliant  career  in  Tennessee,  he  captured  more  men  than  he  had 
in  his  own  command.  I  may  not  be  entirely  accurate  in  all  I 
have  said,  but  substantially  it  is  correct.  If,  however,  you  wish 
to  be  minute,  you  had  better  send  this  to  General  Forrest  or  Gen- 
eral Jackson,  either  of  whom  can  verify  it  or  correct  any  inac- 
curacy of  my  memory  if  it  be  at  fault.  It  is  deeply  to  be  regret- 
ted that  the  details  of  Van  Dorn's  plans  and  actions  as  a  cavalry 
commander  in  Tennessee,  or  while  covering  Pemberton's  retreat 
before  Grant  to  Grenada,  and  in  the  signal  affair  at  Holly  Springs, 
fraught  as  the  latter  was  with  results  more  momentous  than  those 
involved  in  any  action  of  its  kind  of  which  I  ever  knew  or  heard, 
should  be  lost  to  the  history  of  cavalry;  but  I  fear  to  trust  my 
memory,  and  must  confine  myself  to  these  brief  outlines,  hoping 
that  some  of  those  who  followed  him,  whose  memory  is  better 
than  mine,  may  yet  do  justice  to  a  cavalry  whose  feats,  when 


3oo  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

written  out,  must  give  him  a  place  beside  the  greatest  of  those 
who  in  time  past  have  ridden  to  victory  or  immortality. 

"  Yours  truly, 

"  E.  DILLON. 
"  MORGAN-TOWN,  N.  C,  June  i6th,  1877." 

CAPTURE  OF  THE  "  STAR  OF  THE  WEST." 
CAPTAIN  FARWELL'S  NARRATIVE. 

The  first  gun  had  been  fired  at  Fort  Sumter  and  rumors  of 
imminent  strife  between  the  sections  were  rife,  yet  hope  was 
general  that  matters  political  would  be  settled,  and  prayers  for 
peace  were  momentarily  sent  up  to  the  Throne  of  Grace.  Vain 
was  the  hope,  as  the  four  years  of  horror  and  bloodshed,  and  the 
desolate,  downtrodden  graves  in  lonely  battle-fields,  the  flower- 
grown  mounds,  and  lofty  monuments  reared  to  the  memory  of 
those  who  wore  the  blue  and  the  gray  and  gave  up  their  lives  for 
the  section  they  loved  best  can  testify. 

The  first  gun  fired  by  the  Confederates  was  directed  at  the 
"  Star  of  the  West,"  a  United  States  transport  sent  to  reinforce 
the  Federal  troops  at  Fort  Sumter,  and  when  captured  carried  at 
least  one  shothole  received  at  that  time. 

The  Confederate  Government  had  been  inaugurated,  having  its 
headquarters  at  Montgomery,  Ala. 

The  United  States  troops  were  to  be  withdrawn  from  the 
Southern  States,  and  the  "  Star  of  the  West  "  was  sent  to  trans- 
port  the  troops  then  in  Texas  under  the  command  of  General 
Twiggs. 

General  Twiggs  resigned  his  command  at  precisely  what  point 
I  am  uncertain  at  this  late  date,  but  I  think  at  San  Antonio,  and 
a  grave  mistake  has  been  made  when  General  Twiggs  was  ac- 
cused of  having  been  a  traitor  and  having  surrendered  the  troops 
and  Government  property  for  his  own  aggrandizement.  The 
General  was  under  the  impression  that  the  troops  would  embark 
from  Indianola,  and  they  marched  to  the  seaboard  without  him. 

On  the  1 5th  day  of  April,  1861,  an  officer  of  the  newly  estab- 
lished Government  took  passage  on  the  steamship  "  Matagorda," 
of  the  Morgan  Line,  at  the  town  then  known  as  Brashear  City, 
en  route  for  Texas.  This  officer  was  Colonel  Earl  Van  Dorn, 


Appendix.  301 

and  his  purpose  was  to  intercept  the  troops  and  capture  the 
transport. 

This  was  a  bold  move,  which  required  daring,  courage,  and 
speed  for  its  successful  accomplishment.  On  their  arrival  at 
Galveston  the  following1  morning,  by  authority  in  him  vested,  Col- 
onel Van  Dorn  took  charge  of  the  "  Matagorda  "  and  detained 
the  ship  while  he  perfected  his  arrangements  and  proceeded  to 
muster  men  to  accompany  him.  A  portion  of  two  companies 
of  Galveston  volunteered  to  join  him,  and  the  ship  left  at  8  P.  M. 
for  Indianola. 

On  arriving  at  Pass  Cavallo  early  the  next  morning  the  Col- 
onel found  the  steamship  "  Star  of  the  West  "  lying  outside  the 
bar  waiting  to  receive  the  United  States  troops,  and  he  learned 
from  the  pilots  that  these  troops  were  on  the  wharf  at  Indianola, 
expecting  transportation  on  the  steamship  "  Fashion  " ;  the  latter 
having  been  chartered  by  the  United  States  Government  to  take 
them  from  Indianola  to  the  "  Star  of  the  West,"  as,  owing  to  its 
deep  draft,  it  was  impossible  for  the  last  named  vessel  to  cross 
the  bar. 

BOARDING  THE  VESSEL. 

Two  or  three  miles  above  the  pass  was  the  village  of  Saluria, 
and  on  a  wharf  at  this  place  Van  Dorn  decided  to  leave  his  men, 
until  the  return  of  the  "  Matagorda  "  from  Indianola,  at  which 
place  the  steamer  discharged  some  freight  and  proceeded  to 
Lavaca. 

At  the  latter  port  Van  Dorn,  in  order  to  lose  no  time,  released 
the  "  Matagorda  "  and  assumed  charge  of  the  "  General  Rusk  " 
(another  of  the  Morgan  Line  steamers)  and  proceeded  to  Saluria 
to  take  on  his  volunteers,  and,  the  shades  of  night  having  fallen, 
the  ship  crossed  the  bar.  Running  alongside  of  the  "  Star  of  the 
West,"  a  request  was  made  to  the  captain  to  throw  a  line,  as  the 
"  General  Rusk  "  had  some  troops  for  him. 

Captain  Howe,  of  the  "  Star  of  the  West,"  asked  why  the 
"  Fashion  "  did  not  go  out  with  the  troops.  He  was  told  that 
she  would  be  out  in  the  morning  with  the  baggage  and  property, 
there  not  being  sufficient  water  on  the  bar  for  her  to  cross  with  all 
on  board  at  one  time.  The  captain,  being  unsuspicious,  ordered  a 
line  to  be  made  fast  from  the  "  General  Rusk  "  to  the  "  Star  of 


302  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

the  West."  As  soon  as  the  line  was  fast  Lieutenant  Ned  Malone, 
in  charge  of  one  of  the  Galveston  companies,  jumped  on  board; 
but  the  line  at  that  time  was  by  careless  management  slackened, 
and  for  a  short  time  he  stood  alone. 

"  Captain  Howe,  seeing  that  this  officer's  uniform  was  not  that 
of  the  United  States,  asked  him  what  it  all  meant.  Malone,  be- 
coming uneasy  at  the  situation,  told  him  that  all  would  be  shortly 
explained.  At  that  moment  the  two  ships  came  together  again, 
and  the  Confederates  began  to  pour  on  board. 

The  first  man  to  reach  Malone's  side  was  a  son  of  the  Emerald 
Isle,  Phil  Dugan,  who  was  the  ensign  of  his  company,  and  who 
carried  the  colors  of  his  State,  which  he  unfurled  and  shook  to 
the  breeze. 

"  What  is  that?  "  asked  Captain  Howe. 

"  Be  jabers !  It's  the  Lone  Star  of  Texas  on  an  Irish  pipe," 
answered  Phil  Dugan,  in  the  brogue  characteristic  of  his  country- 
men. 

The  captain  was  placed  under  arrest.  No  resistance  was  made. 
Colonel  Van  Dorn  assumed  command  of  the  ship  at  which  the 
first  gun  had  been  fired  by  the  Confederates  and  became  their 
first  prize,  and  the  two  ships  proceeded  to  Galveston.  The  "  Star 
of  the  West "  was  anchored  off  the  bar  about  midday  of  the  i8th, 
and  about  an  hour  later  the  "  General  Rusk  "  ran  alongside  our 
ship  to  transfer  freight.  Her  commander,  Leon  Smith,  was 
authorized  to  select  a  commander  for  the  captured  ship  and  navi- 
gate her  to  New  Orleans,  and  I  was  the  man  he  chose.  I  at 
first  refused,  saying  that  if  the  ship  was  recaptured  by  Federal 
cruisers  in  the  Gulf  that  I  would  be  hung  to  the  yard-arm  without 
trial.  He  asked  two  other  men  who  refused,  and  then  returned 
to  me  with  a  message  from  Van  Dorn  to  the  effect  that  if  I  did 
not  go  willingly  I  would  be  put  on  board  at  the  point  of  the  bay- 
onet. 

The  crew  of  the  captured  ship  had  been  engaged  to  work  the 
vessel  to  New  Orleans,  and  Captain  Smith  engaged  an  engineer, 
a  Mr.  Seymour,  to  go  with  me,  who  was  to  do  duty  only  in  case 
of  refusal  of  the  ship's  engineers  at  any  time. 

DIFFICULTY  WITH  THE  ENGINES. 

We  were  conveyed  on  board  the  captured  ship  by  the  pilot-boat 


Appendix.  303 

"  Dart,"  and  on  our  arrival,  about  9  r.  M.  on  the  evening  of  the 
same  day,  immediately  sailed  for  this  port.  Nothing  occurred 
to  excite  apprehension  until  near  midnight  of  the  iQth.  We  were 
off  Timbaleur  light,  when  Mr.  Seymour  informed  me  that  the 
hose  was  attached  to  the  hot  water,  or  steam  connection  boiler, 
the  intention  being  to  scald  the  guard.  This  was  startling  in- 
telligence. Immediately  gave  orders  quietly  to  have  the  con- 
nection guarded,  placed  the  engineer  under  arrest  and  Mr.  Sey- 
mour in  charge  of  the  engine. 

In  a  short  time  the  steam  went  down  and  the  ship  progressed 
slowly,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  firemen  had  quit  work,  and  Mr. 
Seymour  found  it  necessary  to  go  down  himself  into  the  fire- 
room.  Whatever  his  arguments  or  persuasions  may  have  been, 
they  were  at  least  successful ;  the  firemen  resumed  their  duties, 
and  we  experienced  no  further  trouble. 

At  daylight  of  the  2Oth  I  mado  Southwest  Pass,  and,  seeing  no 
Federal  cruisers  about,  ran  for  the  bar,  took  a  pilot  and  put  the 
ship  on  to  the  bar.  She  grounded,  slewed  head  out,  and  I  had 
to  go  outside  again.  This  had  occurred  three  times  when  Cap- 
tain Howe  sent  for  me  and  told  me  that  the  stores  for  the  troops 
were  stowed  in  the  stern  of  the  ship.  This  was  the  cause  of  her 
drawing  a  great  deal  more  of  water  aft  than  forward,  so  I  put 
all  hands  to  work  and  shifted  them  and  soon  had  her  in  trim  to 
cross  the  bar,  which  I  did  without  further  difficulty. 

About  i  P.  M.  I  was  halted  at  Fort  Morgan  by  Colonel  Duncan, 
who  was  in  command.  As  a  matter  of  course  he  was  in  high 
glee,  as  the  captured  ship  was  the  "  Star  of  the  West,"  of  Fort 
Sumter  fame,  and  the  first  Confederate  prize,  and  equally,  of 
course,  the  event  had  to  be  celebrated  in  jovial  style.  By  the  time 
I  was  allowed  to  go  on  my  way  the  officers  were  all  as  merry  as 
generally  falls  to  the  lot  of  lovers  of  good  whisky  to  become 
without  being  boisterous.  After  a  delay  of  two  hours  I  pro- 
ceeded up  the  river,  and  anchored  off  Algiers  about  4  A.  M.  of 
the  2Oth. 

The  excitement  in  the  North  was  intense,  and  feelings  against 
me  ran  high.  General  Butler  endeavored  to  persuade  President 
Lincoln  to  offer  a  reward  of  $10,000  each  for  Captain  Leon 
Smith's  head  and  mine.  For  this  reason  I  declined  the  com- 
mand of  one  of  the  Confederate  cruisers,  fearing  that  it  might 
be  his  lot  to  capture  me. 


304  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

Although  not  in  arms,  I  was  captured  and  held  a  prisoner  two 
years,  until  within  a  short  time  of  the  close  of  hostilities. 


SOME  LETTERS  TO  HIS  WIFE. 

"  CORINTH,  Miss.,  May,  12,  1862. 

"  Mr.  Ingraham  goes  to  Port  Gibson  this  morning  and  has 
kindly  offered  to  take  anything  to  you  I  might  have  to  send.  I 
avail  myself  of  his  offer  to  send  you  my  Mississippi  sword  and 
a  fine  gun  (a  present  to  me),  and  this  letter  containing  some 
money.  The  sword  and  gun  are  in  my  way.  As  for  my  letter, 
my  dear  wife,  I  must  be  brief.  Not  only  is  my  time  taken  up  by 
public  affairs  of  too  much  moment  to  be  neglected,  but  my  mind 
at  this  time  is  as  it  should  be,  given  to  the  preparations  for  the 
great  struggle  about  to  come  off  for  our  liberty  and  independence. 
When  they  shall  have  been  achieved  I  will  return  to  you  and  my 
children  with  affection  renewed  by  th  fire  of  adversities  through 
which  I  shall  have  passed.  Now  the  things  around  me  have 
drawn  a  sternness  about  my  heart  which  forbids  my  entertain- 
ing the  soft  and  gentle  matters  of  life.  I  must  not  think  of  them 
— when  this  coming  storm  is  over  I  will  return  to  you,  as  I  have 
said,  gentler  that  I  have  ever  been  to  you.  Until  then  have  pa- 
tience with  me  and  forgive  me  for  my  silence.  I  think  of  you 
often.  Kiss  my  children  for  me,  my  dear  sisters,  and  those  dear 
to  me.  I  will  telegraph  to  you  as  we  progress.  I  will  telegraph 
to  you  when  our  banners  are  waving  on  the  shores  of  the  Ten- 
nessee and  the  enemy  are  flying  into  Kentucky.  We  will  con- 
quer. Pray  for  us. 

"  With  many  kisses  and  affectionate  love,  I  am  your  husband.'' 

"  EARL." 

"  PORT  GIBSON,  Miss.,  May  24,  1862. 
"  MY  DEAR  BROTHER  : 

"  Earl  (a  nephew  and  namesake)  leaves  in  the  morning  for 
Corinth  and  your  headquarters  to  become  whatever  you  choose 
to  make  of  him.  He  is  so  delighted  to  join  you  and  has  been 
anxious  so  lone?  to  go,  that  it  takes  half  the  pann  from  the  sep- 
aration from  him.  I  send  him  to  you  upon  your  suggestion  of 


Appendix.  305 

making  him  a  cadet ;  he  seems  to  think  a  permanency  in  the  army 
desirable,  and  if  he  proves  equal  to  it,  and  can  succeed  in  pro- 
curing a  commission,  I  shall  be  proud  of  him  and  thankful  to 
you.  He  is  only  a  boy,  and  very  inexperienced,  and  your  time 
is  too  muah  occupied  to  be  able  to  give  him  your  oversight.  He 
goes  with  heart  and  hand  ready  to  serve  his  country. 

"  Your  wife  and  children  keep  well,  and  Olivia  grows  rapidly, 
and  is  a  little  beauty.  Both  attend  school.  While  you  are  battling 
for  the  country  at  large,  your  native  place  is  in  danger  and  en- 
tirely unprotected.  Marshall  would  go  to  the  wars  too  if  I  would 
consent.  He  is  as  witty  and  funny  as  ever. 

"  YOUR  AFFECTIONATE  SlSTER." 

"JACKSON,  July  15,  1862. 
"  To  GENERAL  EARL  VAN  DORN  : 

"  Five  companies  have  gone  to  the  Raft  and  others  will  follow 
in  a  few  days,  in  all  probability  one  thousand  mien.  I  am  proud 
and  happy  on  hearing  from  the  '  Arkansas.'  I  have  said  so  to 
Captain  Brown. 

"JOHN  J.  PETTUS, 
"  Governor  of  Mississippi." 

(Telegram.} 

"To  GENERAL  VAN  DORN. 

"  BATON  ROUGE  (10  miles  from)  via 

"  CLINTON,  LA.,  4  A.  M.,  1861. 

"  I  understand  your  despatch  that  '  Arkansas  '  will  reach  Baton 
Rogue  at  daylight  Tuesday  morning.  Everything  depends  on 
this  and  her  cooperation.  I  send  this  to  verify  your  despatch ; 
can  she  get  there  certainly  at  this  time  ;  if  not,  when  ?  The  sound 
of  her  guns  and  our  assault  should  be  simultaneous.  Two  more 
gunboats  there,  one  up  there  gone  up  river.  Answer. 

"  J.  C.  BRECKENRIDGE." 

"  VICKSBURG,  Miss.,  July  15,  1862. 
"  To  THE  PRESIDENT, 

"  RICHMOND,  VA. 

'  The  sloop  of  war  '  Arkansas,'  under  cover  of  our  batteries, 
came  gloriously  through  twelve  or  thirteen  of  the  enemy's  gun- 
?o 


306  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

boats,  rams  and  sloops  of  war.  Our  loss  was  ten  men  killed  and 
fifteen  wounded.  Captain  Brown,  her  commander,  and  hero, 
was  slightly  wounded  in  the  head.  The  smoke-stack  of  the  '  Ar- 
kansas was  riddled,  otherwise  she  is  not  materially  damaged, 
and  can  soon  be  repaired.  Two  of  the  enemy's  boats  struck  their 
colors  and  the  boats  ran  ashore  to  keep  from  sinking.  Many 
were  killed  and  wounded. 

"  This  is  a  glorious  achievement  for  the  Navy,  her  heroic  com- 
mander, officers  and  men.  One  mortar  boat  disabled  and  aground 
and  is  now  burning.  All  the  enemy's  transports  and  all  the 
vessels  of  war  of  the  lower  fleet  have  gotten  up  steam  and  are 
off  to  escape  from  the  '  Arkansas.' 

The  ram  '  Arkansas  '  is  an  ironclad  vessel  of  1,200  tons  and 
was  built  at  Memphis,  but  was  removed  from  that  point  in  an 
unfinished  condition,  previous  to  the  evacuation  of  that  city  by 
our  troops.  She  has  since  been  completed  in  the  Yazoo  River." 


(Telegrams.) 

"  PORT  GIBSON,  July  18,  1862. 
"  To  MAJOR-GENERAL  VAN  DORN, 

"  VlCKSBURG. 

"Your  despatch  of  the  I5th  only  received  this  morning.  No 
boats  having  passed  down  for  several  days  and  your  despatch 
having  been  so  long  in  reaching  me,  I  think  it  possible  something 
may  have  occurred  to  change  your  orders.  Whilst  therefore  every- 
thing shall  be  in  readiness  to  move  at  the  earliest  hour.  I  beg 
leave  to  say  that  a  battery  of  six  guns  was  sent  to  Jefferson 
County  some  weeks  ago.  On  last  Tuesday  a  battery  of  six  other 
guns  were  started  from  here  to  Fort  Adams,  but  General  Beall 
has  placed  it  at  Ouitman's  Landing  above  Natchez.  I  have  eight 
guns  left,  with  hardly  enough  well  men  to  work  four  of  them. 
Grand  Gulf,  I  think,  is  stronger  than  any  unoccupied  point  this 
side  of  Natchez.  Under  these  circumstances  shall  I  move? 
Answer  immediately. 

"  W.  R.  MILES, 

"  Colonel  Commanding." 


Appendix.  307 

(Copy.) 
(  Telegram. ) 

"  VICKSBURG,  July  15,  1862. 
"  GENERAL  RUGGLES  : 

"  Will  send  you  men  if  possible.  Will  let  you  know  in  a  day  or 
two.  Steamer  '  Arkansas  '  came  out  this  morning,  made  the 
enemy's  boats  strike  colors.  Run  the  gauntlet  of  the  upper  fleet 
of  twelve  vessels  of  war  and  is  now  safe  under  our  guns.  Will 
attack  below  as  soon  as  some  repairs  are  made. 

(Signed)  "EARL  VAN  DORN." 

UNION  TELEGRAMS. 

"  JULY  7,  1862. 

"  Deserters  from  Aberdeen,  Miss.,  say  that  Van  Dorn's  divi- 
sion passed  down  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  Railroad  en  route  for 
East  Tennessee." 

"  JULY  13,  1862. 

"  At  La  Grange,  heard  that  Van  Dorn  was  approaching  the 
railroad ;  scouts  report  all  his  movements  to  General  Geo.  N. 
Thomas." 

"JULY  15,  1862. 

"  Telegram  from  Tuscumbia,  Ala.,  from  General  Thomas  tells 
his  scouts  to  look  out  for  Van  Dorn's  approach." 

"  JULY  25,  1862. 

"  Enemy  informed  that  Van  Dorn  and  Price  are  marching 
on  Nashville  with  30,000  to  40,000  strong." 

"  PRICEVILLE,  Miss.,  June  9,  1862. 
"  His  EXCELLENCY,  THE  PRESIDENT  : 
"  DEAR  SIR  : 

"  I  learned  a  day  or  two  since  that  General  Magruder  had  been 
ordered  to  the  command  of  the  Trans-Mississippi  Department 
and  immediately  telegraphed  to  you  not  to  send  any  one  at  pres- 


308  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

cnt,  as  it  would  have  a  bad  effect.     General  Price  goes  to-mor- 
row to  see  you  and  will  explain  all  on  the  subject. 

"  I  wish  here  to  suggest  to  you  that  the  love  of  the  people 
of  Missouri  for  General  Price  and  his  prestige  as  a  commander 
there  is  so  great  that  wisdom  would  seem  to  suggest  that  he 
be  put  at  the  head  of  affairs  in  the  West.  I  see  the  alluring  bait 
held  out  to  my  ambition — the  fall  of  St.  Louis — the  reclamation 
of  a  rich  segment  of  our  beloved  South  from  the  grip  of  the 
enemy,  and  the  glory  that  might  be  mine,  but  I  shut  all  this  out 
from  me  because  I  think  that  it  is  the  best  interest  of  the  country 
to  do  so.  I  hope  whatever  glory  there  may  be  in  it  may  be  on  the 
brow  of  General  Price,  than  whom  there  is  no  one  more  worthy 
to  wear  it,  and  than  by  whom  I  would  rather  see  it  worn. 

"  Very  truly,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN." 

"  RICHMOND.  VA.,  July  13,  1862. 
"  To  GENERAL  EARL  VAN  DORN,  Vicksburg,  Miss. : 

"  Your  despatch  of  yesterday  received.  Your  gallantry  has 
fulfilled  my  expectations.  Accept  my  thanks  and  congratula- 
tions for  what  has  been  achieved.  Have  ordered  more  and 
heavier  guns  to  be  furnished  to  you.  What  of  the  gunboat 
'  Arkansas  '  ?  The  junction  of  the  departments  arose  from  no  want 
of  confidence,  but  to  render  the  whole  force  most  available  to 
the  permanent  object — the  defense  of  the  country. 

"  JEFFERSON  DAVIS." 

TO  HIS  WIFE. 

"  VICKSBURG,  Miss.,  July  22,  1862. 

"  God  bless  you,  my  own  dear  wife.  I  received  your  kind, 
good  letter  to-day  with  one  from  my  dear  little  angel  daughter. 
You  are  a  gentle,  kind,  and  forgiving  wife,  and  the  tone  of 
this  letter  has  pleased  me  a  great  deal.  You  do  not  scold  at 
me  for  not  writing,  because  you  know  how  troubled  and  har- 
assed I  am  continually  with  the  cares  of  my  position  here.  I 
must  be  unceasingly  vigilant  and  watchful,  as  the  enemy  are 
always  in  sight,  and  are  furious  at  being  so  long  baffled  where 
they  expected  an  easy  conquest.  They  will  let  nothing  escape 
them.  In  addition  to  this,  I  have  the  control  of  the  district,  and 
hare  my  hands  full.  You  are  kind  not  to  expect  me  to  write 


Appendix.  309 

often.  I  had  hoped  to  see  you  when  I  left  Tupelo,  but  just 
as  I  was  about  to  write  for  you  to  come  to  me  I  got  an  order 
one  night  after  12  o'clock  to  come  here,  and  had  to  leave  next 
morning  early.  So  you  see  we  have  less  opportunity  for  rest  and 
recreation  than  anybody  else.  And  since  my  chills  have  left  me 
so  healthy,  I  have  not  even  the  plea  of  sickness  to  get  off.  But 
it  is  best,  as  no  one  should  desire  to  leave  a  moment  this  con- 
test. I  rejoice  that  I  am  able  to  keep  the  enemy  from  here. 
A  portion  of  the  fleet  has  gone  below,  and  it  is  said  that  they 
have  gone  to  Mobile.  But  with  the  example  of  Vicksburg, 
Mobile  will  not  give  up.  We  are  bombarded  here  every  day 
more  or  less,  as  the  enemy  feel  like  it.  Sometimes  it  is  grand ; 

we  all  take  it  very  coolly,  however.     Have  gotten  used  to  it." 
*     *     *     » 

"TUPELO,  Miss.,  July  31,  1862. 
"  GENERAL  STERLING  PRICE  TO  Gov.  JOHN  J.  PETTUS,  Miss. 

"  GOVERNOR  : — The  events  of  each  day  impress  me  more  deeply 
with  the  importance  of  prompt  action  on  the  part  of  this  army, 
and  you  will,  therefore,  pardon  me  for  again  invoking  your  as- 
sistance. You  can  strengthen  my  army  several  thousand  by  call- 
ing out  about  2,000  of  the  militia  to  garrison  Meridian,  Colum- 
bus, Okolono,  and  Verona,  and  to  protect  the  railroad  bridges 
and  trestle  work.  This  will  enable  me  to  withdraw  all  the 
Confederate  troops  from  that  duty  and  put  them  in  the  field. 
I  must  beg  you,  in  the  event  of  your  being  willing  to  comply  with 
this  request,  to  act  promptly,  as  I  intend  to  order  all  the  dis- 
posable troops  forward  to  Tupelo  within  the  present  week,  pre- 
paratory to  an  immediate  forward  movement.  I  would  suggest 
to  your  Excellency  the  propriety  of  preserving  absolute  secrecy 
as  to  the  proposed  movement,  as  the  enemy  are  doubtless  im- 
pressed with  the  idea  that  the  whole  army  is  being  moved  east- 
ward, and  as  they  seem  to  be  acting  upon  that  belief.  You  may 
also  aid  me  very  greatly  by  sending  forward  recruits,  and  in 
this  connection  I  may  say  that  Captain  Gholson  proposes,  with 
your  concurrence,  to  raise  a  battalion  of  sharpshooters  for  service 
with  the  Army  of  the  West.  I  hope  that  you  will  give  him  your 
assistance  in  this  work.  The  necessity  of  immediate  action  must 
be  my  apology  for  again  addressing  your  Excellency  upon  this 
subject  without  awaiting  your  reply  to  my  preceding  communica- 
tion, etc." 


3io  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

"TUPELO,  Miss.,  July  31,  1862. 
"  GENERAL  PRICE  TO  GENERAL  EARL  VAN  DORN,  at  Vicksburg, 

Miss. : 

"GENERAL: — Official  despatches  from  General  Armstrong  and 
the  reports  of  scouts  and  others,  all  confirm  the  fact  that  General 
Halleck's  army  is  being  rapidly  transferred  eastward,  and  that 
Buell's,  Thomas',  and  Rosecrans'  divisions  have  already  passed 
Tuscumbia,  Rosecrans'  passing  Tuscumbia  on  Saturday.  I  do 
not  think  that  General  Grant,  who  remains  in  command  at 
Corinth,  can  have  more  than  15,000  troops  there,  though  Colonel 
Wheeler,  commanding  a  cavalry  brigade  in  North  Mississippi, 
reports  that  the  enemy  have  recently  concentrated  about  10,000 
at  Bolivar.  This  must,  however,  be  an  over-est:mate.  It  at  all 
events  seems  to  me  unquestionable  that  they  must,  in  order  to 
meet  General  Bragg,  continue  to  remove  troops  eastward,  and 
that  they  cannot  leave  more  than  20,000  under  General  Grant. 
This  will  be  our  opportunity,  and  I  am  extremely  anxious  that  we 
shall  avail  ourselves  of  it.  I,  therefore,  send  a  gentleman  to 
Governor  Pettus  to  ask  his  cooperation,  and  another,  Dr.  Luke 
P.  Blackburn,  volunteer  aide-de-camp,  to  you  to  submit  the 
matter  to  your  consideration.  It  is  my  opinion  that,  if  we  will 
advance  our  arms  rapidly  and  concurrently  toward  Grand  Junc- 
tion or  some  other  point  on  or  near  the  Tennessee  line,  at  the 
same  time  obstructing  the  railroads,  we  can  move  irresistibly 
through  Western  or  Central  Tennessee  into  Kentucky.  The 
enemy  can  only  confront  us  by  weakening  the  army  opposed  to 
General  Bragg.  The  result  will  be  the  same  in  either  case — 
a  victory  to  the  Confederate  arms,  either  through  our  forces  or 
through  those  under  the  immediate  command  of  General  Bragg. 
It  seems  to  me  that  in  view  of  the  great  results  that  would  flow 
from  the  reoccupation  of  Tennessee,  we  ought  not  to  hesitate  to 
endanger  every  minor  one ;  that  the  true  way,  in  other  words,  of 
completing  the  work  of  regaining  complete  possession  of  the 
Mississippi,  which  you  have  so  gloriously  begun  at  Vicksburg, 
is  to  advance  with  our  armies  into  Kentucky.  I  can  put  15,000 
effective  men  in  the  field.  I  am  getting  them  in  readiness  for 
instant  service.  I  will  gladly  place  them  under  your  command 
if  you  will  cooperate  with  me  in  the  proposed  movement,  and 
be  proud  to  serve  under  the  defender  of  Vicksburg.  The  Gov- 
ernor of  Mississippi  can  surely  increase  our  forces  several  thou- 


Appendix.  311 

sand,  and  can  garrison  the  post  and  continue  the  defense  of  Vicks- 
burg  with  the  State  militia. 

"  I  am,  General,  with  greatest  respect,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  STERLING  PRICE, 
"  Major-General  Commanding." 

"  RICHMOND,  VA.,  August  4,  1862. 
"  To  GENERAL  VAN  DORN,  Vicksburg,  Miss. : 

"  The  importance  of  the  object  at  which  you  aim  cannot  be 
over-estimated.  I  fear  General  Bragg  cannot  detail  any  more 
of  his  force.  The  Secretary  of  War  will  send  you  an  order 
for  the  Texas  Legion.  Some  heavy  artillerists  may  be  sent 
from  here.  Colonel  Marignay  is  en  route  to  Camp  Moore  with 
instructions  to  collect  and  organize  partisans.  From  the  Florida 
parish  I  hope  you  will  get  considerable  accessions  of  force.  See 
General  Richard  Taylor,  on  his  way  to  Western  Louisiana,  and 
General  Holmes,  to  Trans-Miss.  Dept,  and  confer  with  them  as 
to  their  ability  to  aid  you. 

"JEFFERSON  DAVIS." 

"  RICHMOND,  VA.,  August  4,  1862. 
"  To  GENERAL  R.  E.  LEE,  Commanding  Department  of  Northern 

Virginia,  etc. : 

"  General  Van  Dorn  has  sent  General  Breckinridge  to  attack 
Port  Hudson  and  Baton  Rouge,  and  if  he  is  successful  he  will 
very  much  need  heavy  artillerymen. 

"  De  Gournay's  battalion,  now  in  the  city  works,  was  raised  in 
New  Orleans,  and  could  stand  the  climate.  We  had  better  send 
them  out,  as  the  batteries  established  at  Port  Hudson  will  enable 
us  to  command  the  Mississippi  River  from  that  point  to  Vicks- 
burg, including  the  mouth  of  Red  River. 

"  G.  W.  RANDOLPH, 

"  Secretary  of  War." 

"  JACKSON,  Miss.,  August  11,  1862. 
"  GENERAL  EARL  VAN  DORN  TO  STERLING  PRICE  : 

"  Am  directed  to  take  the  offensive  toward  Grand  Junction 
and  Memphis.  Breckinridge  is  near  Baton  Rouge;  enemy  been 
reinforced  from  New  Orleans ;  am  afraid  Breckinridge  is  too 
feeble  to  make  decisive  result.  It  will  be  two  weeks  before 
I  can  do  anything.  Very  important  to  secure  mouth  of  Red 


312  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

River.  Can  you  not,  therefore,  send  Breckinridge  a  brigade 
to  make  sure?  They  can  then  go  with  me  to  Grand  Junction 
and  rejoin  you  there.  Answer.  If  yes,  when  will  be  here? 
Bragg  cannot  move,  I  think,  in  three  weeks  yet. 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN." 

"  CHATTANOOGA,  TENN.,  August  n,  1862. 
"  GENERAL   BRAXTON    BRAGG   TO   GENERAL   EARL   VAN    DORN, 

Commanding  Army  of  the  Mississippi : 

"  GENERAL  : — In  view  of  the  operations  from  here,  it  is  very  de- 
sirable to  press  the  enemy  closely  in  West  Tennessee.  We 
learn  their  forces  there  are  being  rapidly  reduced,  and  when  our 
movements  become  known  it  is  certain  they  must  throw  more 
forces  into  Middle  Tennessee  and  Kentucky  or  lose  those 
regions.  If  you  hold  them  in  check  we  are  sure  of  success  here ; 
but  should  they  reinforce  here,  so  as  to  defy  us,  then  you  may 
redeem  West  Tennessee  and  probably  aid  us  by  crossing  to  the 
enemy's  rear." 

It  had  been  said  that  General  Van  Dorn  acted  upon  his  own 
plans  without  consulting  with  General  Price. 

"TUPELO,  Miss.,  August  27,  1862. 
"  GENERAL  PRICE  TO  GENERAL  VAN  DORN  : 

"  GENERAL  : — I  acknowledge  with  a  great  deal  of  pleasure  the 
receipt  of  your  letter  of  the  24th  instant,  and  am  glad  that  you 
agree  to  my  proposition  to  unite  our  forces  for  an  aggressive 
campaign.  I  fully  concur  in-  the  opinion  that  we  should  move 
our  combined  armies  through  Western  Tennessee  toward  Padu- 
cah,  and  thence  wherever  circumstances  may  dictate.  It  seems 
to  me  that  we  should  first  drive  the  enemy  from  his  position  at 
and  near  Corinth,  so  as  to  retain  control  of  the  railroad.  I  fear 
that  my  own  forces  are  hardly  sufficient  to  accomplish  this,  as 
the  enemy  are  equal  to  them  in  numbers  and  strongly  intrenched, 
and  I  am  not  willing  to  risk  a  doubtful  engagement  under  present 
circumstances.  I  therefore  think  that  it  is  decidedly  better  that 
we  should  concentrate  our  forces  at  or  near  this  point  for  the 
purpose  of  attacking  the  enemy  at  Corinth.  This  ought  to  be 
done  straightway,  so  as  to  hinder  and  delay  the  reinforcements 
of  Buell  as  much  as  possible,  and  also  to  anticipate  any  rein- 


Appendix.  313 

forcements  which  may  be  on  their  way  to  Corinth.  In  both  of 
these  views  speedy  action  is  very  important.  Having  driven  the 
enemy  from  Corinth  we  may  then  decide  upon  the  future  con- 
duct of  the  campaign.  I  have  sent  General  Frank  C.  Armstrong, 
with  almost  2,000  cavalry,  upon  an  intended  reconnaissance.  He 
has  probably  reached  Grand  Junction.  He  will  make  the  circuit 
of  Corinth,  striking  at  whatever  points  may  appear  most  avail- 
able. I  will  be  able  to  advise  you  more  particularly  as  to  the 
enemy's  strength  and  position  after  hearing  from  him.  Let  us 
meanwhile  hasten  our  preparations  to  move.  I  can  have  my 
army  ready  within  five  days.  Our  success  must  depend  in  a 
great  measure,  and  may  depend  altogether,  upon  the  rapidity  of 
our  movements.  We  must  attack  the  enemy  before  they  begin 
to  receive  their  new  levies,  and  while  they  are  still  discouraged 
by  their  late  reverses.  We  ought  to  avail  ourselves,  too,  of  the 
moral  force  which  we  would  gain  by  participating  in  the  great 
forward  movement  which  our  armies  are  now  making  every- 
where. An  advance  on  our  part  would  put  the  whole  line  in 
movement  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  territories,  for  we  alone  are 
stationary.  The  despatches  this  afternoon  announce  that  the 
enemy  are  falling  back  from  the  line  of  the  Tennessee.  Let  us 
keep  them  moving. 

"  I  am,  General,  with  greatest  respect,  your  friend  and  servant, 

"  STERLING  PRICE, 

"  Major-General." 

"  SEPTEMBER  2,  1862. 

"  General  Beauregard  urges  General  Bragg  to  withdraw  the 
enemy  from  West  Tennessee  that  the  command  of  the  Mississippi 
River  may  be  resumed.  Recommends  that  the  command  of 
Generals  Van  Dorn  and  Price  and  all  troops  that  can  be  spared 
from  Vicksburg  be  concentrated  at  Grand  Junction,  compel  the 
forces  at  Corinth  and  Jackson,  Tenn.,  to  fall  back,  and  cut  off 
the  communication,  pursue  him  to  the  Ohio,  and  then  detach 
General  Price  into  Missouri  to  support  his  friends." 

-  "  SEPTEMBER  17,  1862. 
"  General  Van  Dorn  at  Holly  Springs." 

"  SEPTEMBER  19,  1862. 
"  General  Van  Dorn  at  Grand  Junction,  Miss." 


314  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

"  SEPTEMBER  25,  1862. 

"  General  Bragg  writes  that  he  hopes  General  Van  Dorn  and 
General  Price  may  clear  away  his  rear  and  open  their  base  for 
them — otherwise  we  may  be  seriously  embarrassed." 

"  SEPTEMBER  19,  1862. 
"  LETTER  FROM  SECRETARY  OF  WAR  TO  MAJOR-GENERAL  EARL 

VAN  DORN  : 

"  We  fear  that  a  serious  misunderstanding  exists  with  refer-. 
ence  to  the  movements  of  Price,  Breckinridge,  and  myself.  Gen- 
eral Bragg,  we  are  informed,  expected  Breckinridge  to  follow 
Kirby  Smith  with  7,000  men,  and  that  Price  and  yourself  should 
act  in  concert.  This  cooperation  seems  to  us  essential  to  suc- 
cess, and  nothing  should  be  allowed  to  obstruct  it.  If  Breckin- 
ridge cannot  go  to  Smith  without  endangering  the  success  of 
your  operations  he  must  be  retained.  When  in  company  with 
Price  you  will,  by  virtue  of  seniority,  direct  the  movements  of 
the  embodied  forces.  G.  W.  RANDOLPH/' 

"JACKSON,  Miss.,  Sept.  5,  1862. 
"  General  Orders  No.  47. 

"  The  Honorable  Secretary  of  War  having  announced  that 
martial  law  can  only  be  declared  by  the  President,  and  that  it 
has  not  been  declared  by  him  in  Mississippi,  General  Orders 
No.  9,  from  these  headquarters,  dated  Vicksburg,  July  4,  1862, 
and  all  other  orders  arising  under  the  declaration  of  martial  law 
in  this  district,  are  hereby  revoked.  All  provost  marshals  will 
be  discharged  and  all  prisoners,  other  than  soldiers,  will  be 
turned  over  to  the  proper  civil  authorities.  The  general  com- 
manding in  declaring  martial  law  was  influenced  to  do  so  only  by 
what  he  considered  the  best  interests  of  the  country,  and  not  by 
any  desire  to  accumulate  power.  A  soldier  of  more  than  twenty 
years  in  their  service,  he  had  no  ambition  to  play  the  tyrant  over 
the  citizens  of  his  own  State  whom  he  was  sent  to  defend.  The 
exigencies  of  the  times  seemed  to  him  to  call  for  the  inter- 
position of  a  stronger  and  more  prompt  hand  than  the  civil 
authorities  were  able  to  hold  out  against  the  abuses  incident  to 
the  times,  and  with  numerous  precedents  for  doing  so,  he  de- 
clared martial  law.  The  general  commanding  hopes  that 
throughout  his  district  the  efficiency  of  the  civil  authority  will 


Appendix.  315 

demonstrate  that  his  judgment  has  been  at  fault  and  that  there 
exists  no  necessity  for  martial  law.  He  takes  this  occasion  to 
say,  however,  that  he  fears  this  will  not  be  the  case,  at  least  in 
some  parts  of  the  district,  and  to  inform  the  civil  authorities  that 
he  will  cheerfully  cooperate  with  them,  and  will  come  to  their 
aid  with  the  forces  under  his  command  whenever  legally  called 
upon  to  do  so." 

In  September  and  October,  1862,  General  Van  Dorn  sent  out 
many  orders  preparatory  to  the  attack  on  Corinth,  and  it  will 
be  observed  that  he  had  the  cooperation  of  all  the  leaders  in  his 
plans. 

"  HOLLY  SPRINGS,  Miss.,  Sept.,  1862. 
"  To  GENERAL  STERLING  PRICE,  Guntown,  Miss. : 

"  From  telegram  do  not  know  where  you  are.  I  propose  that 
you  move  towards  Rienzi  and  send  cavalry  out  to  meet  my  scouts. 
I  will  move  in  that  direction  in  a  few  days,  or  as  soon  as  my 
wagons  are  up.  With  scouts  out  we  will  make  junction  west  of 
Corinth  not  far  from  Pocahontas.  Enemy  at  Bolivar  twelve  or 
fifteen  thousand.  Must  try  and  prevent  junction  with  Rose- 
crans.  Enemy  receiving  reinforcements  at  Memphis  (new 
levies).  Campaign  in  West  Tennessee  imperative  and  necessary 
to  Bragg.  Send  reply  at  once  and  let  us  understand.  Will 
write. 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN, 
"  Major-General." 

"  IUKA,  Miss.,  Sept.  17,  1862. 
"  GENERAL  PRICE  TO  GENERAL  VAN  DORN  : 

"  GENERAL  : — I  entered  this  town  with  my  army  on  last  Sunday 
morning,  the  rear  guard  of  Rosecrans'  army  evacuating  it  at  my 
approach  and  retreating  westward.  I  telegraphed  you  immedi- 
ately, proposing  a  combined  movement  upon  Corinth,  and  sent  v 
the  dispatch  by  special  messenger  to  Guntown,  with  instructions 
to  forward  it  to  you  and  to  await  your  reply.  This  has  not  been 
received  yet.  I  hope  that  you  will  answer  me  at  once,  for  Gen- 
eral Bragg  has  just  sent  me  another  despatch.  .  .  .  "I  am 
anxiously  expecting  your  advance,  and  trust  it  will  not  longer  be 
delayed.  Bragg.' 

"  I  cannot  remain  inactive  any  longer,  and  must  move  either 


316  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

with  you  against  Rosecrans  or  coward  Kentucky.     The  courier 
that  takes  this  to  you  will  bring  your  reply. 

"  STERLING  PRICE." 

"  RICHMOND,  VA.,  Sept.  29,  1862. 
"To  GENERAL  VAN  DORN  FROM  THE  SECRETARY  OF  WAR: 

"  Assume  forthwith  the  command  of  all  the  troops  left  in 
Mississippi,  including  General  Price's  column.  Concentrate 
them  without  loss  of  time;  reorganize  and  arm  the  exchanged 
prisoners ;  make  proper  disposition  for  the  defense  of  the  Missis- 
sippi River,  and  also  for  an  advance  into  Tennessee,  and  ac- 
knowledge receipt  of  this  order  by  telegraph. 

"  G.  W.  RANDOLPH/' 

General  Price  states  in  one  letter  dated  September  28,  1862, 
that  General  Van  Dora's  forces  met  him  that  day  at  Ripley,  and 
"  with  the  combined  armies  we  will  at  once  proceed  northward,% 
endeavoring  to  overcome  the  enemy  in  front  of  us;  with  what 
success  I  cannot,  of  course,  tell,  but  we  have  every  confidence  in 
our  ability  to  defeat  him.  The  enemy  being  in  much  larger  force 
in  the  vicinity  of  Corinth  than  was  anticipated  by  us,  has  alone 
prevented  me  from  carrying  out  General  Bragg's  orders." 

General  Van  Dorn  writes  to  General  Price  the  same  date, 
September  28 :  "  Please  direct  three  days'  rations  to  be  cooked ; 
as  many  wagons  emptied  as  possible,  and  send  them  to  Holly 
Springs  to  be  loaded  with  bacon,  flour,  and  salt.  Please  send 
two  armed  convalescents  or  weakly  men*  with  each  wagon  as 
an  escort,  with  one  officer  from  each  division.  General  Lovell 
will  do  the  same,  and  the  wagons  will  start  back  to-morrow  via 
Salem.  The  chief  quartermaster  has  been  directed  to  hire  as 
many  wagons  between  this  place  and  Holly  Springs  as  he  can 
find.  General  Lovell  will  move  his  division  up  on  the  Ruckers- 
ville  road  about  five  or  six  miles  to-morrow  morning.  Please 
hold  your  army  in  readiness  to  move  in  same  direction.  They 
may  move  to-morrow  if  the  preparations  above  desired  can  be 
made  in  time." 

General  Price  writes  to  General  Van  Dorn  that,  "  The  enemy 
are  transferring  their  troops  from  Corinth,  and  they  will  by 
the  end  of  the  week  have  reduced  their  force  to  its  minimum. 
We  should  be  quick  to  take  advantage  of  this,  for  they  will  soon 


Appendix.  317 

begin  to  get  reinforcements.  I  earnestly  desire  your  coopera- 
tion and  will  be  glad  to  place  my  army  and  myself  under  your 
command.  The  very  names  of  yourself  and  General  Breckin- 
ridge  would  bring  thousands  to  our  ranks  and  carry  dismay  to 
those  of  the  enemy." 

(Signed)  "  STERLING  PRICE." 

"  HEADQUARTERS  COMBINED  FORCES, 

"  POCAHONTAS,  TENN.,  Oct.  I,  1 862. 

"  GENERAL  VAN  DORN  TO  MAJOR-GENERAL  PRICE,  Commanding 
Army  of  the  West : 

"  GENERAL  : — I  had  intended  to  call  and  see  you  this  evening, 
but  have  not  been  able  to  do  so.  I  have  ordered  General  Lovell 
to  move  his  division  in  the  morning  toward  Chewalla,  and  the 
cavalry  to  meet  Armstrong  near  there,  and  to  move  forward 
and  feel  the  condition  of  affairs  about  Corinth — that  is,  the  cav- 
alry— also  to  cut  Jackson  R.  Road.  I  have  ordered  General 
Lovell  to  leave  you  twelve  thousand  rations. 

"  Please  hold  yourself  in  readiness  with  your  army  corps  to 
march  at  short  notice.  It  may  be  that  we  shall  march  some  time 
to-morrow.  It  will  depend  upon  Lovell's  report.  Fifteen  regi- 
ments have  left  Corinth  since  the  23d.  Also  three,  trains  of  artil- 
lery and  a  large  quantity  of  ammunition.  Please  order  the 
bridge  over  the  Hatchie  at  Pocahontas  made,  if  possible,  by  to- 
morrow night. 

"  I  send  a  courier  in  the  morning  to  Holly  Springs.  You  have 
an  opportunity  to  write.  Send  to-night." 

TELEGRAM. 

"  To  HON.  G.  W.  RANDOLPH,  Secretary  of  War : 

"  Despatch  October  i,  Pocahontas,  Tenn.  I  have  made  union 
with  General  Price  and  am  now  before  Corinth.  Joined  forces 
at  Ripley,  Miss.,  on  the  28th  of  September.  Expect  some  of 
the  returned  prisoners  at  Holly  Springs  within  ten  days,  prob- 
ably all  of  them.  Will  send  two  regiments  to  Port  Henderson. 
Sufficient  force  now  at  Vicksburg.  Expect  to  take  Corinth — 
move  all  divisions  in  the  morning  to  full  position  and  strength 
and  to  cut  with  cavalry  the  railroad  to  Jackson,  Tenn.  One  divi- 


318  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

sion  of  the  Corinth  command  and  some  artillery  left  on  the  25th 
for  the  North. 

"  Eosecrans  in  command  with  two  divisions  left  at  Corinth. 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN, 
"  Major-General." 

"  OCTOBER  4,  1862,  day  after  Corinth  battle. 
"  To  GENERAL  PRICE  FROM  GENERAL  VAN  DORN  : 

"  GENERAL  : — Please  detail  from  each  of  your  divisions  100  men 
with  one  captain  and  one  lieutenant  from  each  division,  and  a  field 
officer,  of  intelligence  and  good  address,  to  go  to  Corinth  to 
bury  our  dead.  The  detail  from  each  division  will  take  a  wagou 
and  the  necessary  implements  and  will  report  at  these  head- 
quarters before  the  command  moves  in  the  morning. 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN/' 
Same  to  the  same : 

"  GENERAL  : — Send  some  of  the  cavalry  to  the  rear  with  canteens 
for  water  and  to  water  horses. 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN." 

Received  at  Richmond,  Va.,  October  8,  1862: 

"  HON.  SECRETARY  OF  WAR  : 

(Despatch  from  Pocahontas,  near  Corinth.) 

"Attacked  Corinth,  took  all  the  outer  works  by  storm,  and 
got  within  the  town.  Enemy  received  fresh  reinforcements  and 
we  could  not  complete  the  work — retired.  The  Bolivar  force 
came  down  on  my  line  of  retreat  and  prevented  crossing  of 
Hatchie. 

"  Moved  south,  crossed  six  (6)  miles  below,  and  now  at  Ripley 
with  all  baggage  and  as  many  of  the  wounded  as  could  carry. 
Bloody  affair.  Enemy  still  threaten.  Will  fight  him  at  all 
points.  There  are  about  forty  thousand  (40,000)  men  still  in 
West  Tennessee.  Will  have  hard  fighting. 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN." 

(President  Davis  pronounced  the  retreat  of  the  army  from  Cor- 
inth "  masterly,"  and  that  it  "  evinced  the  military  genius  of  its 
commander,"  but  telegraphed  General  Bragg  that:) 


Appendix.  319 

"  OCTOBER,  8,  1862. 

"  There  was  an  evident  error  as  to  the  withdrawal  of  the  army 
from  Tennessee.  The  battle  of  Corinth  shows  the  impossibility 
of  the  advance  referred  to  as  the  part  required  of  Generals  Van 
Dorn  and  Price.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  Kentucky  may  be  held." 

LETTER   OF    COLONEL   YERGER. 

"JACKSON,  Miss.,  Oct.  10,  1862. 
"  MAJOR-GENERAL  EARL  VAN  DORN,  Holly  Springs,  Miss. : 

"  MY  DEAR  GENERAL  : — Since  my  arrival  here  I  find  it  difficult  to 
stay  the  storm  of  abuse  which  is  being  hurled  against  you  since 
our  unhappy  day  at  Corinth.  In  fact,  so  various  are  the  rumors 
being  floated  by  certain  heartless  and  cowardly  traducers,  I  desire 
to  have  something  from  your  own  hand  by  way  of  refutation,  not 
to  be  used  unless  the  statements  of  your  friends  continue  to  be 
doubted.  It  is  current  here  that '  every  general  officer  opposed  the 
attack/  and  that  you  '  attacked  40,000  behind  intrenchments  with 
30,000.'  Let  me  hear  from  you  soon,  and  believe  me  ever  faith- 
fully. 

"E.  M.  YERGER." 

REPLY  OF  GENERAL  VAN  DORN. 

"  HOLLY  SPRINGS,  Miss.,  Oct.  15,  1862. 
"  To  the  few  friends  I  have  in  Mississippi,  I  will  say  that  I 
have  seen  no  editorial  statement  in  the  newspapers  regarding  me 
in  this  matter  that  is  true.  It  is  not  true  that  every  general  officer 
opposed  the  attack  on  Corinth.  I  have  an  official  letter  from  Gen- 
eral Price,  from  Guntown,  stating  that  he  was  ready  to  cooperate 
with  me  in  an  attack  on  Corinth.  There  was  no  council  of  war 
held,  and  I  did  not  know  the  opinion  of  any  other  general  officer 
on  the  ?nbject.  I  knew  that  the  army  was  in  excellent  spirits,  and 
although  I  have  never  courted  popularity  or  applause  from  the 
army  (this  you  well  know),  I  was  cheere'd  by  most  of  the  troops 
passing  my  headquarters  as  they  filed  out  of  town  on  their  march 
to  Corinth.  After  the  first  day's  fighting,  as  we  all  stood  by  our 
bivouac  fires  within  three-quarters  of  a  mile  of  Corinth,  and  when 
it  was  thought  by  all  that  that  stronghold,  which  had  been  frown- 
ing so  long  upon  the  very  heart  of  our  country,  was  won,  I  re- 
ceived the  congratulations  of  many  officers  of  the  highest  rank  and 


320  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

standing  upon  the  manner  of  the  attack,  the  management  of  the 
troops,  and  upon  the  glorious  victory  which  seemed  about  to  crown 
our  efforts.  The  next  day,  when  misfortune  fell  upon  me,  can  it 
be  that  any  of  these  gentlemen  became  my  detractors,  think 


you 


'  It  is  not  true  that  I  attacked  40.000  with  30,000,  nor  20,000 
men  behind  intrenchments  with  13,000.  The  enemy  had  about 
15,000  men  in  Corinth  on  the  day  the  attack  commenced.  I  had 
more,  as  you  know.  It  is  true  the  enemy  had  about  8,000  men  at 
Rienzi,  luka,  and  Kossuth,  who  were  brought  up  that  night,  but 
it  was  hoped  that  Corinth  would  be  carried  the  first  day  of  the 
attack,  and  that  the  reinforcements  would  reach  the  field  too  late ; 
and  but  for  the  lack  of  water,  the  fatiguing  march  through  a 
parched  country  10  or  12  miles  before  commencing  the  contest, 
and  the  unusual  energy  and  skill  displayed  by  one  of  the  most  ob- 
stinate and  astute  generals  in  the  United  States  service,  Corinth 
would  have  been  ours  at  sunset  Friday,  as  is  testified  by  the  enemy 
themselves. 

"  Again,  the  works  immediately  around  the  town  were  construct- 
ed but  a  few  days  before  the  attack,  and  were  not  known  to  me 
in  time  to  guide  my  actions.  I  had  no  means  of  knowing  their 
existence.  All  the  works  known  to  me,  the  first  and  second  lines, 
were  carried  by  our  troops  in  the  most  gallant  manner  possible, 
and  Corinth  should  have  been  ours  under  all  human  calcula- 
tion. 

"  The  army  is  now  here,  in  good  condition,  with  the  exception 
of  the  gallant  dead  and  the  wounded.  There  is  another  class — 
these  should  not  be  mentioned  by  the  same  lips  that  give  utterance 
to  the  names  of  those  who  fell  beneath  their  glorious  colors — I 
mean  the  cowards  who  fell  back  from  the  ranks  when  their  brave 
leaders  ordered  them  on  to  the  attack,  and  who  to  the  rapid  dis- 
charge of  cannon,  the  rattling  of  musketry,  and  all  the  soul-stirring 
sounds  of  battle  were  alike  insensible,  as  they  fled  the  field,  scat- 
tering falsehoods  and  abuse  of  generals  throughout  the  land. 

'  To  the  censorious  public  I  have  but  to  say  I  look  to  time  to  put 
me  right.  I  am  right ;  and  military  men,  when  the  facts  are  known, 
will  do  me  justice1;  so  will  the  public,  who  now  damn  me  to  their 
hearts'  content.  I  know  them  too  well  to  die  under  the  infliction. 

"  Truly  yours, 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN." 


Appendix.  321 

TELEGRAM. 

"  RICHMOND,  October  20,  1862. 
"  GENERAL  VAN  DORN  : 

"  The  assignment  of  General  Pemberton  does  not  deprive  you 
or  General  Price  of  your  command,  the  wants  of  Mississippi  and 
your  own  fate  equally  render  me  unwilling  to  withdraw  you  from 
your  present  sphere  of  duty  at  this  time. 

"  JEFFERSON  DAVIS." 

"  HOLLY  SPRINGS,  Miss.,  Oct.  12,  1862. 
"  To  THE  SECRETARY  OF  WAR  FROM  GEN.  EARL  VAN  DORN  : 

"  Orders  of  General  Pemberton  just  received.  Enemy  40,000 
in  West  Tennessee.  I  attacked  Corinth  and  took  it,  but  could  not 
hold  it.  Am  at  Holly  Springs.  I  depend  on  the  railroad  for 
supplies  until  I  can  repair  my  strength,  including  Price's  22,000. 
The  department  has  not  considered  the  difficulties  before  me. 
Pemberton 's  order  mentions  that  I  take  the  field  for  East  Ten- 
nessee ;  does  it  not  mean  West  Tennessee  ?  I  have  never  received 
instructions  of  any  kind.  I  shall  act  for  the  test,  but  I  am  now  an 
isolated  body  in  the  field  in  Mississippi,  relieved  of  command  of 
my  department.  I  hope  this  will  be  corrected." 

"  HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  WEST  TENNESSEE, 

"  HOLLY  SPRINGS,  Miss.,  Oct.  12,  1892. 
"  General  Orders  No.  52. 

"  By  direction  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  Major-General  Van 
Dorn  assumes  command  of  all  the  troops  in  the  Stateof  Mississippi 
including  all  exchanged  prisoners.  They  will  render  the  returns 
and  reports  required  by  regulations  and  existing  orders  to  this 
office.  In  addition  a  field  return  will  be  made  on  the  I5th  of  each 
month  giving  effective  strength. 
"  By  order  of  General  Van  Dorn. 

"  M.  M.  KIMMEL, 
"  Major  &  A.  A.  General" 

*  This  telegram  came  in  the  face  of  the  letter  of  one  James  Phelan  written  to 
President  Davis  advising  the  removal  of  General  Van  Dorn,  coupled  with  abuse 
of  everybody  and  everything  in  his  desire  to  run  the  C.  S.  Government  and  its 
President. 

21 


322  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

"  HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  WEST, 

"  HOLLY  SPRINGS,  Oct.  13,  1862. 
"  MAJOR-GENERAL  EARL  VAN  DORN  : 

"  Hearing  a  rumor  that  you  were  charged  with  being  drunk  dur- 
ing the  engagement  of  the  3d,  4th,  and  5th  inst,  it  is  with  pleasure 
that  I  can  testify  from  frequent  personal  observations  and  inter- 
course with  you  on  the  battle-field,  that  the  charge  is  unjust, 
groundless,  and  false.  Your  conduct  there  was  marked  by  the 
same  intrepid  coolness  which  I  have  had  occasion  to  admire  in 
you  on  other  fields. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  remain, 

"  Very  respectfully, 

"  Your  obedient  servant, 

"  STERLING  PRICE, 

"  Major-General" 

TELEGRAM. 

"  RICHMOND,  Oct.  21,  1862. 

"  I  do  not  mean  that  Pemberton  would  not  command,  but  that 
you  would  not  be  deprived  of  your  division  nor  Price  of  his  by  the 
order  issued  here.  How  did  Lovell  get  your  corps ;  why  will  you 
have  no  command.  I  think  to  remove  you  now  would  be  injudici- 
ous to  you ;  to  what  other  field  would  you  be  transferred  ?  Will 
write  by  Captain  Schaumburg. 

"  JEFFERSON  DAVIS/' 

LETTER  TO  A  FRIEND. 

"  HOLLY  SPRINGS,  Miss.,  Oct.  30,  1862. 

"Your  kind  letter  came  to  me  like  a  ray  of  sunshine  in  my 
clouds.  I  was  ha^ppy  to  learn  that  you  have  not  belie'ved  the 
villainous  slanders  against  my  character.  I  have  been  so  well 
abused  that  I  thought  I  had  no  friends  whatever — and  a  friend's 
silence  would  have  mortified  me  exceedingly ;  although  I  have1  not 
deserved  much  from  you — I  have  been  so  remiss.  Do  not  believe 
all  that  you  hear.  I  shall  come  out  of  this  as  proudly  as  you 
could  wish,  and  I  shall  be  vindicated.  I  scorn  to  answer  the 
public  accusations  made  without  any  knowledge  of  facts  or  with- 
out cause.  My  official  report  will  be  out  in  a  few  days  and  you 
will  see  how  much  cause  they  have  for  them.  Like  the  wounded 
porpoise  that  is  run  down  by  its  kind  until  it  leaves  its  element 


Appendix.  323 

and  dies  on  the  beach,  so  are  unfortunate  men  hunted  to  the  death. 
/  am  not  made  of  such  stuff  as  to  fly  from  them ;  neither  will  I 
die  under  their  shafts.  I  live  still;  and  until  it  pleases  God  to 
take  me  I  shall  continue  to  do  so  unharmed.  I  shall  fight  this 
war  out  if  I  am  left  no  friends  but  my  family.  Don't  be  hurt 
that  my  character  has  been  assailed.  I  am  not  so  much  affected  by 
it,  but  that  I  eat  all  my  meals  with  a  very  good  appetite.  .  .  . 

"  The  Federal  General  McPherson,  whom  I  fought  the  other 
day,  enclosed  me  a  letter  a  few  days  since  under  flag  of  truce 
from  my  sister  Jane  to  him,  asking  him  to  protect  the  grave  of  her 
son  Aaron.  He  kindly  promised  me  to  do  so  if  I  would  indcate 
the  spot.  .  .  . 

"  Affectionately  and  with  sincere  love,  your  friend, 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN." 

TELEGRAM. 

"  JACKSON,  Miss.,  Nov.  4,  1862. 
"  To  MAJOR  GENERAL  VAN  DORN  : 

"  With  your  infantry  and  artillery  take  position  behind  the 
Tallahatchie  if  the  enemy  advances  in  force  against  you ;  feel  the 
enemy  with  your  cavalry,  take  measures  to  strengthen  the  posi- 
tions, we  may  be  compelled  to  occupy  at  the  fords  by  entrench- 
ments. I  will  have  a  train  ready  to  move  up  if  necessary ;  make 
every  effort  to  learn  where  the  enemy  is  moving  his  whole  force. 
I  am  anxious  to  hear  from  Corinth ;  advise  General  Bragg  of  this 
movement  if  found  to  be  correct. 

"  J.  C.  PEMBERTON, 
"  Lieutenant-General  Commanding" 

The  President,  in  response,  wrote : 

"  RICHMOND,  Va.,  Nov.  4,  1862. 
"  MY  DEAR  GENERAL  : 

"  While  I  was  reflecting  on  your  case  with  a  view  to  meet  both 
your  interest  and  your  wish,  a  telegram  was  brought  to  me  to 
announce  that  you  were  under  charges  and  that  you  desired  a 
trial.  It  was  consistent  with  your  character  to  meet  promptly 
any  proposition  for  investigation.  It  did  not  appear  to  me,  how- 
ever, proper  to  accept  your  waiver  as  to  the  constitution  of  a  court 
to  sit  upon  your  commission,  and  therefore  I  directed  that  instead 


324  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

of  a  trial  there  should  be  an  inquiry  to  test  the  force  of  the  allega- 
tions made. 

"  I  need  not  say  to  you  that  the  occasion  is  one  which  has  given 
me  much  pain,  and  hope  that  your  vindication  may  be  as  com- 
plete as  I  am  sure  your  motives  were  patriotic.  As  the  event  of 
which  you  wrote  is  to  be  submitted  to  inquiry,  I  will  say  nothing 
on  the  subject. 

"  The  reports  to  which  you  refer  have  to  some  extent  and  in 
various  ways  reached  me.  You  no  doubt  injured  yourself  by  at- 
tempting to  give  to  officers  position  and  command  to  which  you 
could  not  properly  assign  them,  and  for  which  you  were  suffi- 
ciently warned  they  were  not  designed  by  the  War  Department. 

"  I  write  in  much  haste  and  will  only  add  that  my  regard  for 
you  and  earnest  desire  for  your  welfare  is  undiminished. 

"  Your  friend, 

"  JEFFERSON  DAVIS. 

"  To  General  Van  Dorn." 

TO  HIS  WIFE. 

"  COLUMBIA,  TENN.,  March  14,  1863. 

"  I  wrote  to  you  some  time  ago  by  a  gentleman  who  was  going 
to  Mobile,  and  much  to  my  surprise  he  returned  here  yesterday 
and  gave  me  back  the  letter.  He  did  not  go  as  far  as  Mobile  and 
did  not  mail  the  letter.  I  regret  it,  as  I  enclosed  you  some1  money 
which  I  am  afraid  you  needed.  I  now  have  another  opportunity 
to  send,  and  hope  you  will  receive  it.  ... 

"  I  fought  a  battle  near  here  a  few  days  ago  and  won  it.  It  was 
a  beautiful  affair.  All  in  sight  in  an  open  plain.  I  took  four 
regiments  prisoners.  Have  had  a  rough  time,  but  satisfactory  to 
everybody. 

"  I  am  surrounded  continually  by  a  crowd  and  cannot  write.  I 
am  well,  and  stand  well  with  my  troops.  All  cheer  and  serenade 
me.  Children  to  change  with  every  change  of  fortune !  " 

"  STEAM  RAM  Switzerland, 

"  CAIRO,  ILL.,  Sept.  28,  1862. 
"  HON.  E.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War : 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  call  your  attention  to  a  matter  that  has 
before  been  presented  to  your  notice,  and  that,  in  my  opinion^ 


Appendix.  325 

is  of  very  grave  importance  to  the  public  interest,  viz. :  The  provid- 
ing without  delay  an  iron-clad  fleet  of  rams  to  meet  the  enemy's 
new  fleet  that  without  doubt  will  appear  upon  these  waters  with  the 
next  flood.  You  are  aware  of  the  frail  nature  of  the  fleet  of 
wooden  boats  that  I  have  the  honor  at  present  to  command.  It  is 
no  "detraction  from  the  eminent  services  that  they  have  rendered 
the  country  to  say  that  it  was  mainly  attributable  to  the  ignorance 
of  the  enemy  as  to  their  strength,  and  to  the  bold  audacity  of  their 
former  commander.  There  seems  no  room  to  doubt  that  the  enemy 
are  now  busily  engaged  in  building  a  new  fle"et  of  formidable 
rams  and  gunboats  up  the  Yazoo  River  and  its  tributaries,  besides 
what  they  may  be  doing  up  the  Arkansas  and  White  Rivers,  with 
the  evident  purpose  of  resuming  possession  of  the  Mississippi 
River  with  the  rise  of  the  water  in  the  winter  or  spring.  The  re- 
ports to  this  effect  are  so  constant  and  uniform  that  it  does  seem 
to  me  the  part  of  prudence  to  take  warning  and  make  suitable 
provision  while  there  is  yet  time  to  meet  the  probablp  emergency. 
It  is  a  fact  that  few  have  the  presumption  now  to  dispute  that 
our  flat-bottomed,  slow  gunboats  are  in  no  way  equal  to  contend 
against  the  formidable  rams  and  gunboats  that  the  enemy  have 
heretofore  produced  and  are  likely  to  again  bring  against  us.  I 
trust  that  it  will  be  regarded  as  no  disparagement  to  the  brave 
officers  and  men  of  the  gunboats,  nor  of  the  former  valuable  ser- 
vices of  the  boats  themselves,  to  say  that  the  latter  are  in  no  way 
suitable  to  meet  the  new  order  of  things  soon  to  be  produced.  It  is 
in  view  of  these,  to  me,  plain  facts  that  I  take  the  liberty  of  urging 
upon  your  notice  again  the  great  importance  of  providing  one 
or  more  boats  of  strength  and  speed  equal  at  least  to  what  we 
know  the1  enemy  have  heretofore  produced  and  are  capable  of 
reproducing.  The  disastrous  and  most  mortifying  raid  of  the 
'  Arkansas  '  should  not  soon  be  forgotten.  Recent  developments 
seem  to  show  conclusively  that  her  final  destruction  was  partially, 
at  least,  owing  to  the  severe  shock  she  received  from  the  '  Queen  of 
the  West/  which  disarranged  her  engine  and  caused  her  machinery 
to  break  down.  If  at  the  time  of  that  action  the  '  Queen  '  had  been 
iron-clad,  so  that  she  could  with  partial  impunity  have  for  ten  min- 
utes longer  endured  the  terrific  fire  she  was  exposed  to,  the  '  Ar- 
kansas '  would  never  again  have  left  her  anchorage. 

"  ALFRED  W.  ELLETT, 
"  Colonel  Commanding  Ram  Fleet,  U.  5". 


326  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

"  CORINTH,  Miss.,  Sept.  30,  1862. 
"  MAJOR-  GENERAL  HALLECK,  General-in-Chief : 

"  Price  is  at  Ripley,  Van  Dorn  at  Somerville,  and  Villepigue  at 
Salem.  It  looks  as  if  Van  Dorn  was  trying  to  effect  a  lodgment  on 
the  Mississippi  above  Memphis.  Threatened  at  all  other  points.  I 
cannot  send  out  forces  to  drive  him  away.  If  Helena  troops  could 
now  be  sent  across  the  river  I  think  they  would  meet  with  no  diffi- 
culty in  getting  to  Grenada,  and  perhaps  down  on  to  the  Yazoo. 

"  U.  S.  GRANT, 

"  Major-General." 


EXTRACT  FROM  LETTER  FROM  GENERAL  W.  T.  SHERMAN  TO  GENERAL 
LORENZO  THOMAS,  ADJUTANT-GENERAL. 

"  WASHINGTON,  D.  C,  December  16,  1862. 

"  A  gentleman  who  has  hitherto  communicated  valuable  infor- 
mation is  just  in  fro  i  the  Yazoo,  where  he  has  business  with  a 
planter  whose' name  he  gives  me;  the  latter  was  just  in  from  Jack- 
son, Miss.,  whither  he  had  gone  to  solicit  permission  to  load  a  boat 
with  cotton  in  the  Yazoo  above  the  mouth  of  Yalabusha  and  run  it 
to  Yazoo  City.  At  Jackson  he  saw  Governor  Pettus,  General  Van 
Dorn,  and  Pemberton,  who  after  the  abandonment  of  the  Talla- 
hatchie,  spoke  of  this  general  plan  of  action  as  to  encourage  Grant 
to  advance  and  proposed  great  river  expedition,  of  which  there 
was  much  talk,  to  pass  unopposed  to  Vicksburg.  Then  Bragg's 
army  was  to  amuse  Rosecrans  near  Nashville  by  feigned  attacks, 
whilst  the  bulk  was  to  be  removed  by  rail  around  to  the  Mobile  and 
Ohio  road,  to  their  old  ground  at  Tupelo  and  Baldwin  ;  at  the  same 
time  Holmes  was  to  remove  the  bulk  of  his  army  to  Des  Arc,  Ark- 
ansas. As  soon  as  Grant  and  the  river  expedition  passed  below 
these  were  to  close  in  to  the  Mississippi  above  Memphis,  near  Fort 
Pillow. 

"  Of  course,  my  orders  are  specific  from  General  Grant,  and  I 
shall  heed  nothing  else,  but  merely  mention  this  rumor  that  the 
general-in-chief  may  attach  as  much  or  as  little  importance  to  it  as 
he  thinks  proper. 

"  I  think  I  observe  among  the  people  of  this  neighborhood  an 
Improved  public  sentiment  toward  our  cause. 

"  W.  T.  SHERMAN." 


Appendix.  327 

GENERAL  ROSECRANS  TO  GENERAL  GRANT. 

"BARNESVILLE,  Sept.  17,  1862. 

"  I  am  going  to  send  in  a  prisoner  who  gave  himself  up  to 
our  skirmishers  yesterday.  He  gives  some  very  valuable  infor- 
mation. According  to  his  statement  Price  is  trying  to  draw  our 
troops  out  from  Corinth,  when  Van  Dorn  and  Breckinridge  will 
attack  that  place." 


A  WELL-SPENT  LIFE. 

"  There  passed  away  this  week  at  Clifton,  near  Cambridge,  Mrs. 
Octavia  Sulivane,  a  woman  ripe  in  years  and  conscious  of  a  well- 
spent  life. 

Mrs.  Sulivane  was  born  on  the  plantation  home  of  her  parents, 
near  Port  Gibson,  Miss.,  a  neighborhood  noted  for  its  beautiful 
scenery,  and  where  dwelt  many  of  the  richest  and  most  aristo- 
cratic families  of  the  State. 

She  was  at  the  time  of  her  death  in  her  82d  year,  and  her 
memory  could  look  a  long  way  back  in  the  early  history  of  her 
native  State,  and  she  knew  well  many  of  its  greatest  sons. 

Mrs.  Sulivane's  maiden  name  was  Van  Dorn,  and  she  was  the 
sister  of  the  celebrated  cavalry  general,  Earl  Van  Dorn,  a  man 
who  first  made  a  reputation  as  a  dashing  cadet  at  West  Point,  and 
later  as  a  gallant  soldier  when  a  lieutenant  in  the  Second  United 
States  Dragoons,  which  force  was  the  foundation  of  the  now 
famous  Fifth  Cavalry.  As  captain,  Earl  Van  Dorn  made  a 
record  in  Mexico,  and  held  the  rank  of  major  at  the  breaking  out 
of  the  Civil  War,  but  surrendered  his  commission  and  offered  his 
sword  to  the  Confederacy,  his  State  having  quickly  followed 
South  Carolina  in  the  Act  of  Secession. 

The  brilliant,  though  short-lived  career  of  Major-General  Van 
Dorn  is  too  well  known  to  comment  on  here,  in  referring  to  the 
death  of  his  sister,  who  had  the  claim  also  of  being  the  mother 
of  a  distinguished  Confederate  soldier,  Colonel  Clement  Sulivane, 
now  of  Cambridge,  and  ex-State  Senator  from  Maryland. 

Colonel  Clement  Sulivane  won  his  spurs  early  in  the  war,  and 
made  a  record  with  his  sword,  he  having  been  an  officer  on  the 


328  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

staff  of  his  uncle,  General  Van  Dorn,  and  served  from  first  to 
last  with  conspicuous  bravery. 

Mrs.  Sulivane  was  twice  married,  her  first  husband  being  Mr. 
Isaac  Ross,  of  Mississippi;  her  second  Dr.  Vans  Murray  Suli- 
vane, of  Maryland. 

By  blood  and  marriage  ties  she  is  connected  with  many  of  the 
most  distinguished  families  of  Mississippi  and  Maryland. 

Her  long  life  has  been  a  noble  one,  and  having  crossed  the 
threshold  of  fourscore  years,  she  has  sunk  to  sleep,  leaving  many 
to  mourn  her  loss." 

MRS.  OCTAVIA  SULIVANE. 

"  Mrs.  Sulivane  was  born  in  Port  Gibson,  Miss.  Her  maiden 
name  was  Van  Dorn,  being  a  sister  of  the  distinguished  Confed- 
erate general  of  that  name.  She  was  twice  married,  her  first 
husband  being  Mr.  Isaac  Ross,  of  Mississippi,  and  her  second 
husband,  Dr.  Vans  Murray  Sulivane,  of  Cambridge,  who  after- 
wards removed  to  Mississippi.  Colonel  Clement  Sulivane,  a 
learned  member  of  the  Dorchester  County  bar,  is  her  only  son,  and 
Mrs.  Rider  Henry  her  only  daughter.  Her  grandchildren  are 
Miss  Ruth  Sulivane  and  Mr.  Murray  Sulivane,  of  Cambridge; 
Mr.  Earl  Sulivane,  of  Chattanooga,  Tenn.;  Mrs.  John  J.  Hemp- 
hill  and  Mrs.  John  Goldsborough,  of  Washington,  D.  C,  and 
Messrs.  Clement  and  Rider  Henry,  of  New  York. 

This  remarkable  woman — remarkable  alike  for  her  strength  of 
body  and  mind — lightly  bore  the  burden  of  her  more  than  four- 
score years,  and  81  still  found  her  at  the  post  of  duty,  cheerfully 
and  resolutely  sharing  responsiblities  for  the  sake  of  those  she 
loved  and  who  loved  her.  Hers  was  a  gentle  and  heroic  nature, 
combining  in  a  rare  degree  those  strong  elements  of  character 
which  in  prosperity  grace  true  womanhood  and  in  adversity  con- 
stitute the  heroine. 

"  Life's  race  well  run  ; 
Life's  work  well  done  ; 
Life's  victory  won  ; 
Now  comes  rest." 

One  who  knew  her  well  has  this  to  say  of  her : 

"  Lovely  in  character,  beautiful  even  in  old  age,  in  form  and 


Appendix.  329 

feature,  her  life  was  an  exquisite  poem  filled  with  the  rarest  gems 
that  adorn  noble  womanhood.  A  life  of  devotion  and  goodness 
insures  a  future  of  glory  from  which  those  who  loved  her  would 
not  recall  her." 


GENERAL  VAN   DORN  S   SWORD. 

The  following  correspondence  with  reference  to  a  relic  of  the 
war,  which  has  been  furnished  us  by  Captain  W.  F.  Evans,  ex- 
plains itself: 

"  We  are  in  receipt  of  a  letter  from  Mr.  E.  D.  Kepner,  editor 
of  the  Lenox  Independent,  Lenox,  la.,  stating  that  he  knows  of 
the  existence  of  a  sword  in  his  county,  presented  at  the  breaking 
out  of  the  war,  by  citizens  of  the  State  of  Mississippi,  to  Major 
Earl  Van  Dorn.  He  had  heard  that  the  family  desired  to  get 
it,  and  thinks  the  person  who  has  it  might  be  induced  to  surrender 
it  for  a  valuable  consideration." 

"  OFFICE  OF  THE  Clarion, 
"JACKSON,  Miss.,  Nov.  19,  1883. 

"  DEAR  SIR  : — Having  recently  published  the  enclosed,  I  have 
an  inquiry  from  a  gentleman  in  Claiborne  County,  where  Gen- 
eral Van  Dorn  resided,  asking  how  much  the  party  in  possession 
of  his  sword  wants  for  it,  and  if  the  amount  if  reasonable,  an 
effort  will  be  made  to  get  it  back  again.  Please  inform  me  if  you 
can. 

"  Very  truly, 

"  J.  L.  POWERS." 

"  PORT  GIBSON,  Muss.,  Jan.  16,  1884.   , 

"  E.  P.  KEPNER,  ESQ.,  Lenox,  la.,  Sir: — In  reply  to  your  letter 
addressed  to  Colonel  J.  L.  Powers,  Jackson,  Miss.,  November  27, 
1883,  concerning  the  sword  of  Major  Van  Dorn.  I  have  this  to 
say,  what  evidence  can  be  shown  that  this  sword  is  the  one  be- 
longing to  the  late  Major  Van  Dorn,  please  ascertain  from  the 
present  owner  all  particulars  in  regard  to  it  and  proof  of  its  par- 
ticular identity.  When  this  is  furnished  conclusively,  then  we 
may  make  an  effort  for  its  return. 

"  Respectfully, 

"FRANK  H.  FOOTE." 


33O  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

"  LENOX,  IA.,  Feb.  25,  1884. 

"MR.  FRANK  FOOTE,  Port  Gibson,  Miss.: — Your  letter  of  the 
1 6th  of  January,  in  relation  to  Major  Earl  Van  Dorn's  sword,  is  at 
hand.  I  enclose  you  a  sworn  description  of  the  same,  by  and 
from  the  party  in  whose  possession  the  sword  now  is.  You  can 
judge  from  this  whether  or  not  this  is  the  sword  presented  to 
Major  Van  Dorn  by  the  State  of  Mississippi  for  gallant  services 
in  the  Mexican  War.  The  party,  Mr.  M.  E.  Burr.,  lives  a  distance 
from  town  is  the  reason  for  delay  in  this  reply,  our  town  now 
being  his  business  point.  Write  me. 

"  Respectfully, 

"  E.  D.  KEPNER." 

"  STATE  OF  IOWA, 

"  TAYLOR  COUNTY. 

"  I,  M.  E.  Burt,  being  first  duly  sworn,  say  that  I  am  in  posses- 
sion of  a  sword  presented  to  Major  Earl  Van  Dorn  by  the  State  of 
Mississippi  in  1861.  Said  sword  is  gold  mounted,  has  a  shield 
on  the  handle  the  shape  of  a  heart,  on  which  shield  the  name  of 
the  State  donating  and  the  name  of  Major  Earl  Van  Dorn  is 
inscribed,  and  that  such  donation  was  made  for  gallantry  during 
the  Mexican  War.  An  inscription  on  the  blade  shows  that  R.  W. 
Fitzpatrick  was  the  maker  of  said  sword.  Said  sword  is  encased 
in  a  wooden  case. 

"  M.  E.  BURT. 

"  Sworn  to  and  inscribed  in  my  presence  by  the  said  M.  E.  Burt, 
this  25th  day  of  February,  1884. 

"  G.  W.  HOWE, 
"  Notary  Public." 

"  LENOX,  IA.,  Nov.  2,  1883. 

"  MR.  J.  L.  POWERS,  Jackson1,  Miss.,  Dear  Sir: — Your  letter  of 
November  19  is  at  hand.  The  possessor  of  Major  Van  Dorn's 
sword  lives  eighteen  mile's  from  our  town,  have  not  been  able  to 
see  him  since  the  receipt  of  your  letter,  but  can  say  he  asks  $250 
for  the  surrender  of  the  sword.  Send  draft  to  the  Lenox  Bank 
for  that  amount,  payable  to  the  Lenox  Independent,  and  on  receipt 
of  such  draft  the  sword  will  be  properly  packed  to  the  Clarion  or 
others  address  directed.  This  I  am  now  authorized  to  say,  better 
terms  might  be  made,  but  I  do  not  know  for  a  certainty. 

"  E.  D.  KEENER." 


Appendix.  331 

Endorsed  on  the  back  as  follows: 

"  Clarion  OFFICE, 
"  JACKSON,  Miss.,  Nov.  30,  1883. 

"  Respectfully  referred  to  Mr.  Frank  Foote  and  others,  Port 
Gibson,  I  hope  the  avaricious  creature  will  be  allowed  to  keep 
the  sword;  such  a  demand  is  in  shameful  contrast  to  the  kindly 
return  of  many  trophies  and  relics  of  war  on  both  sides. 

"  Yours  very  truly, 

"  J.  L.  POWERS/' 

"APRIL  i,  1884. 

"  P.  B.  MOORE,  Port  Gibson,  Miss.,  Dear  Sir: — As  you  will 
probably  come  in  contact  with  the  members  of  the  Iowa  press 
excursion,  please  use  your  influence  with  them  and  see  if  not  by 
their  effort  (not  pecuniary)  they  could  effect  the  restoration  of 
the  sword  of  General  Earl  Van  Dorn,  of  the  Confederate  Army. 
This  sword  was  taken  from  the  residence  of  his  family,  near 
Mobile,  Ala.,  in  1865.  The  sword  was  presented  to  Major  Earl 
Van  Dorn,  of  Mississippi,  for  gahantry  in  the  war  with  Mexico 
and  services  against  the  Comanche  Indians  in  Western  Texas. 
His  family  numbers  but  one,  and  he  is  not  able  to  pay  the 
amount  demanded,  $200;  nor  would  he  if  thrice  able,  for  the 
sword  was  not  captured  in  honorable  warfare,  but  was  taken 
from  his  mother's  residence.  It  is  now  in  the  possession  of  one 
Burt,  residing  near  Lenox,  Taylor  County,  la.  I  do  not  say  that 
Burt  confiscated  that  sword,  but  he  now  has  it  in  his  possession 
and  will  return  it  for  the  consideration  specified  in  a  letter  to  me 
through  E.  D.  Kepner,  editor  of  the  Lenox  Independent.  The 
whole  correspondence  has  been  conducted  with  the  editor  of  the 
Independent  and  myself,  and  I  would  like  you  to  interest  your- 
self and  see  if  not  the  press  association  could  bear  something  of 
their  influence  on  Mr.  Burt  and  effect  the  restoration  of  the 
sword  without  paying  anything  for  its  possession.  A  good  era 
of  feeling  has  always  existed  between  true  soldiers,  and  the  Blue 
and  Gray  have  of  late  restored  many  colors  and  flags  and  other 
trophies  of  former  owners,  and  trust  such  measures  may  result 
from  this  as  to  promote  further  good  feeling  between  the  soldiers 
of  the  Blue  of  far  away  Iowa,  and  those  of  the  Gray  in  sunny  Mis- 
sissippi. Hoping  you  may  assume  this  task  (a  delightful  one  to 
me)  to  try  to  recover  this  sword  for  the  children  of  gallant  soldiers, 


332  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

both  of  the  United  States  and  of  the  Confederacy  through  these 
gentlemen,  I  remain, 

"  Very  truly  your  friend, 

"  F.  F.  FOOTE." 


"  The  Weekly  Oskaloosa  Herald, 

"  OSKALOOSA,  I  A.,  April  8,  1884. 
"  Department  Commander  of  Iowa,  Carroll,  la. : 

"  Dear  Sir  and  Comrade: — While  in  Mississippi  last  week  I  had 
the  enclosed  correspondence  placed  in  my  hands,  which  I  submit 
to  you.  It  seems  to  me  that  the  Post  at  Villisca  could  get  hold 
of  the  sword  and  through  the  department  commander  be  returned 
to  the  proper  owner.  I  suggest  that  a  camp  fire  be  held  down 
there  and  some  prominent  soldier  go  down  there  and  so  work 
it  around,  being  careful  that  the  disgrace  of  paying  money  to  have 
a  soldier  do  a  decent  thing  be  avoided.  The  correspondence  is 
all  to  be  preserved. 

"  Truly  yours, 

"  A.  W.   SWALM." 

"  HEADQUARTERS  GRAND  ARMY  OF  THE  REPUBLIC, 

CARROLL,  IOWA,  April  17,  1884. 

"  COL.  W.  F.  EVANS:.  .My  Dear  Comrade: — I  enclose  you  cor- 
respondence relating  to  the  taking  of  a  sword  from  the  residetnce 
of  Major  Earl  Van  Dorn,  near  Mobile,  Ala.,  in  the  year  1865. 
The  sword  is  a  relic  of  value  to  the  family  and  should  be  returned 
to  them ;  was  presented  to  him  for  gallant  conduct  in  the  war  with 
Mexico.  You  are  directed  to  proceed  to  the  residence  of  Com- 
rade Burt  and  say  to  him  that  it  will  be  very  disgraceful  for  him 
and  the  Iowa  comrades  for  him  to  exact  a  money  consideration 
from  the  Grand  Army  of  Iowa,  as  it  is  only  a  short  time  since 
the  Confederates  returned  a  stand  of  colors  to  an  Iowa  regiment, 
and  in  several  instances  have  been  very  generous  in  returning 
articles  captured  in  the  late  war.  If  you  are  obliged  to  purchase 
this  sword  do  so,  and  draw  a  draft  on  John  K.  Deal,  quartermaster 
general,  Department  of  Iowa.  Do  not  pay  a  cent  more  than  you 
are  obliged  to.  Bring  the  sword  with  you  to  the  encampment  and 
turn  it  over  to  Assistant  Quartermaster  General  Deal.  Your 
draft  should  be  sent  to  Marshalltown  for  collection.  I  feel  that 


Appendix.  333 

I  ought  to  act  promptly  and  see  that  the  sword  goes  back  at  once. 

"  In  R,  C.  &  Lv 

"JNO  B.  COOK. 

"  P.  S. — The  sword  is  a  double  edge,  Damascus  blade,  gold- 
mounted,  gold-plated  case.  All  enclosed  in  a  wooden  case  inlaid 
with  purple  velvet." 


"  BEDFORD,  IA.,  April  21,  il 
"  JNO.  B.  COOK,  Carroll,  Iowa: — Have  seen  Burt ;  he  asks  $225 
for  the  sword.     Shall  I  bring  it?    Answer  me  at  Lenox  to-day 
sure. 

"  W.  F  EVANS." 

"  CARROLL,  /A.,  April,  21,  1884. 

"  W.  F.  EVANS,  Lenox,  Iowa : — You  will  bring  the  sword  with 
you.  Try  and  get  it  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  encampment. 

"JNO.   B.   COOK/' 

"  CARROLL,  IA.,  April  21,  1883. 

"  After  consideration  will  say,  get  the  sword,  subject  to  approval 
of  the  encampment,  if  he  will  not  let  it  come  that  way,  leave  it. 

"  JNO.  B.  COOK." 

"  BEDFORD,  TAYLOR  Co.,  IA.,  April  22,  '84. 

"  JNO.  B.  COOK,  COM.  G.  A.  R.,  DEPT.  OF  IA.,  Marshalltown, 
Iowa,  Sir: — Acting  under  instructions  received  under  date  of 
April  17,  I,  in  company  with  P.  C.  King,  of  my  post,  went  through 
a  driving  storm  to  the  residence  of  M.  E.  Burt,  residing  20  miles 
from  our  city,  for  the  purpose  of  trying  to  get  the  sword  of 
the  late  Major  Van  Dorn.  We  found  Mr.  Burt  set  on  the  idea 
that  he  must  have  a  monied  consideration  for  giving  it  up,  and 
$200  was  his  fixed  price.  By  hard  persuasion  Mr.  Burt  consented 
to  deliver  the  same  to  me  by  my  guaranteeing  him  the  sum  of 
$225  or  the  safe  return  of  the  sword  to  him.  On  the  above  con- 
ditions I  have  bought  it,  in  compliance  with  your  instructions. 

"  Moses  E.  Burt  enlisted  as  a  private  soldier  September  2,  1862, 
in  Co.  G,  77  Regiment  Ills.  Inft.  Was  mustered  out  of  service  as 
first  sergeant  of  his  company  July  17,  1865,  at  Mobile,  Ala.  His 
discharge  shows  that  he  participated  in  engagements  as  follows: 
Yazoo  Swamps,  Arkansas  Post,  Port  Gibson,  Champion  Hill, 
Black  River  Bridge,  Vicksburg,  Jackson  (Miss.)  Ft  Gaines, 


334  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

Spanish  Ft.,  and  Mobile,  Ala.  He  explains  his  having  the 
sword  as  follows:  His  regiment  (77  Ills.),  was  encamped 
on  the  plantation  of  Van  Dorn,  on  the  Tombigbee  River, 
two  miles  north  of  Mobile,  Ala.  The  negroes  on  the  plantation 
informed  members  of  his  company  that  a  box  containing  swords 
and  guns  was  buried  in  the  yard.  The  parties  having  the  infor- 
mation proceeded  to  dig  up  the  box  and  found  that  it  contained 
two  swords  and  a  three-barreled,  revolving  gun.  The  other 
sword  was  taken  in  charge  by  the  captain  of  Company  G,  77th  Ills., 
and  shipped  home  by  him,  but  did  not  reach  their  destination  and 
was  never  heard  from  by  the  parties  shipping.  This  sword  was 
given  Mr.  Burt  by  a  private  soldier  of  his  company.  The  regi- 
ment was  mustered  out  at  Mobile,  Ala.  Mr.  B.  brought  it  home, 
thinking  in  time  a  large  reward  would  be  offered  for  it.  How 
far  his  desires  may  be  realized,  I  leave  in  the  hands  of  this  body. 
I  return  all  papers  pertaining  to  the  matter. 

"  Respectfully, 

"  W.  F.  EVANS/' 

"  We  fail  utterly  to  see  upon  what  principle  of  right  or  justice 
Mr.  Burt  can  claim  a  money  consideration  as  the  condition  on 
which  this  sword  is  to  be  given  up.  He  certainly  has  no  property 
rights  in  it ;  it  not  having  been  taken  in  battle  cannot  properly  be 
considered  a  trophy  of  the  war,  and  is  of  no  value  to  him,  except 
as  a  means  to  extort  money  from  the  proper  owner.  If  he  had 
taken  a  child  from  the  widow  of  Major  Van  Dorn  instead  of  a 
sword,  and  was  now  holding  it  for  ransom,  he  would  be  acting 
upon  the  same  principle  he  now  is  acting  upon,  and  the  world 
would  execrate  him  for  it ;  and  unless  we  greatly  mistake  the  pre- 
vailing sentiment  among  the  men  who  compose  the  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic  and  of  the  people  of  Taylor  County,  there  will  be 
such  a  feeling  of  indignation  against  Mr.  Burt  as  to  make  him 
wish  in  the  not  very  distant  future  that  he  had  been  less  avari- 
cious. As  we  understand  the  matter,  he  can  no  more  afford  to 
take  this  money  than  he  can  afford  to  take  stolen  money,  knowing 
it  to  be  such,  save  in  the  simple  fact  that  in  this  case  he  extorts  it 
without  violating  law. 

The  world  has  never  beheld  a  grander,  nobler  exhibition  of  true 
patriotism  than  that  now  being  exhibited  wherein  the  "  Boys  in 
Blue  "  are  exchanging  trophies  with  the  "  Boys  in  Gray,"  and  we 


Appendix.  335 

sincerely  pity  the  man  who  is  so  sordid  in  his  motives  that  he 
can  demand  money  for  the  surrender  of  a  trophy,  because  in  his 
possession,  and  is  more  highly  prized  than  some  others. 

We  learn  that  the  G.  A.  R.  refused  to  pay  the  price  demanded 
by  Mr.  Burt,and  have  returned  the  sword  to  Captain  W.  F.  Evans." 

GENERAL  VAN  DORN'S  SWORD. 

Yazoo  City  (Miss.)  Herald. 

We  published  a  few  weeks  since  a  statement  to  the  effect  that  a 
party  in  Iowa  was  in  possession  of  General  Van  Dorn's  sword, 
and  that  he  might  be  induced  to  part  with  it  for  a  valuable  con- 
sideration. In  behalf  of  some  of  the  citizens  of  Claiborne  County, 
we  made  inquiry  as  to  the  amount  that  would  be  required,  and  are 
informed  that  the  sword  would  be  shipped  to  the  Clarion  office  on 
receipt  of  a  bank  draft  for  $250.  We  presume  the  creature  who 
has  it  will  be  permitted  to  retain  it.  This  demand  is  in  shameful 
contrast  to  the  kind  return  of  many  trophies  of  the  late  war,  on 
each  side,  which  we  notice  in  the  press  as  the  years  go  by. 

The  following  letters  and  newspaper  extracts  are  inserted,  ac- 
cording to  dates,  giving  as  they  do  the  movements  of  General  Van 
Dorn  and  the  circumstances  which  attended  his  life  at  various 
United  States  garrisons  and  camps  in  Texas  and  other  points : 

LETTER  FROM  A  COMRADE  TO  MRS.  VAN  DORN. 

NEW  ORLEANS,  LA.,  Sept.  10,  1849. 
"  ST.  CHARLES  HOTEL,  Monday  Afternoon. 
"  MRJ.  VAN  DORN  : 

"  I  arrived  here  last  Thursday,  and  to  my  agreeable  surprise 
met  the  yth  Infantry  on  their  way  to  Florida.    The  /th  left  New 
Orleans  barracks  last  Friday  at  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  on 
/  the  steamboats  '  Ocean  '  and  '  Anglo-Saxon.' 

"  Van  went  on  the  '  Ocean,'  much  the  larger  and  most  pleasant 
boat.  As  soon  as  I  heard  the  regiment  was  at  the  barracks,  and 
that  Van  was  with  it,  I  jumped  into  a  cab  and  went  after  him. 
Never  was  I  so  glad  to  meet  any  one  not  related  to  me  as  I  was 
to  meet  him.  In  fact,  I  love  him,  Mrs.  Van  Dorn,  better  than  half 
of  my  relatives,  anyhow. 

"  Well,  on  Friday  I  went  down  to  the  boat  with  him,  he  having 


336  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

stayed  Thursday  night  with  me  at  the  St.  Charles,  and  I  remained 
with  him  until  the  last  minute.  He  requested  me  to  write  to 
you,  as  he  was  very  busy,  having  his  company  to  attend  to,  be- 
sides attending  to  a  lot  of  commissary  stores. 

"  Of  course,  I  promised  to  do  so  with  pleasure,  as  I  would  not 
only  be  obliging  him,  but  availing  myself  of  a  great  pleasure  at 
the  same  time.  Van  wished  me  to  say  that  as  soon  as  possible! 
he  intended  to  come  and  see  you.  But  I  have  told  you  enough 
about  Van  and  want  to  say  a  little  concerning  myself.  On  the 
2/th  of  August  I  left  New  York  on  the  steamer  '  Falcon,'  bound  for 
the  promised  gold  in  far  distant  California.  I  arrived  there  after 
a  voyage  of  eleven  days,  having  remained  six  hours  in  port  at 
Havana.  Cuba  is  certainly  the  Eden  of  the  world,  and  while 
there  I  felt  almost  enraptured  as  I  stood  looking  for  the  first  time 
in  my  life  upon  a  foreign  people  in  their  own  land ;  and  contem- 
plating awhile  I  arrived  at  this  conclusion,  that  we  who  live  in  a 
land  of  republicanism,  even  were  it  the  most  barren  of  ocean 
isles,  are  far  more  happy,  and  better  off  than  the  people  who 
hold  that  lovely  island,  and  owe  their  allegiance  to  Spain.  There' 
laid  Cuba  spread  out  in  all  her  magnificence  before  me,  my  native 
land  was  not  in  sight ;  behind  me  and  my  friends  whose  names  and 
virtues  the  dews  of  memory  will  forever  keep  fresh  in  my  heart. 
I  left  Havana  with  a  light  and  happy  heart,  hoping  that  my 
anxious  eyes  would  in  three  days  again  see  the  forest  treefe  and 
fertile  fields  of  America.  The  time  passed  pleasantly  whilst  I 
enjoyed  the  society  of  a  few  agreeable  strangers  who  constituted 
my  traveling  companions.  I  was  not  disappointed;  the  third 
day  came,  and  not  only  saw  the  country  I  am  proud  to  call  my 
own,  but  I  was  permitted  to  strike  glad  hands  with  some  of  the 
dearest  friends  I  have.  I  shall  remain  here  until  Wednesday, 
when  I  shall  sail  for  California  via  Chagres.  Please  answer  this 
direct  to  care  headquarters  Second  Infantry,  California.  I  shall 
claim,  and  anxiously  expect  an  answer.  Recollect  my  initials  are 
N.  H.  Van  promised  to  write  once  a  month,  anyhow,  and  don't 
you  let  him  forget  it.  I  made  an  effort  to  get  back  to  the  7th, 
but  could  not  suceed  .  .  .  Van  is  one  of  my  dearest  friends, 
and  he  knows  I  esteem  him  such,  and  wherever  his  lot  is  cast — 
God  grant  it  may  be  a  pleasant  one. 

"  N.  H.  MCLEAN, 
"  Lieut.  Second  Regt.  Infantry" 


Appendix.  3357 

LETTER  TO  HIS  WIFE  FROM  CAMP  COOPER,  COMANCHE  RESERVATION, 
TEXAS,  APRIL  2/,  1856. 

"  The  last  mail  brought  me  nothing,  but  I  will  not  scold,  as 
you  have  been  very  kind  and  obliging  in  writing  to  me  of  late.  I 
will  wait  patiently  for  the  next  express,  and  will  look  with  so 
much  the  more  pleasure  for  its  arrival,  as  I  have  some  assurance 
that  I  will  not  be  disappointed.  On  the  march  up  from  Fort 
Mason  I  could  not  write — I  had  no  opportunity,  but  I  did  so  as 
soon  as  I  arrived  at  this  camp.  I  hope  you  have  received  my 
letter.  I  believe  this  is  the  only  express  that  has  left  this  pristine 
contiguity  of  saddest  wilderness  without  carrying  from  it  a  mes- 
sage of  love  for  you,  my  dear  Carrie.  I  have  written  punctually 
by  every  opportunity — that  is  weekly — and  I  am  happy  to  find 
that  my  example  in  this  respect  has  not  been  without  its  effect 
on  you.  I  love  you  sincerely  for  writing  to  me  so  regularly,  as 
I  ought  to  do,  for  if  there  is  a  tie  on  earth  that  binds  me  to  it,  and 
makes  me  feel  that  it  is  not  all  a  miserable  dream,  it  is  my  wife 
and  children.  Your  disinterested  love  breathed  even  through  the 
faint  medium  of  a  letter,  comes  to  me  like  the  babbling  of  some 
pure  fountain  to  the  ear  of  a  weary  traveler  of  the  desert.  'How 
weary,  stale,  flat,  and  unprofitable '  would  this  miserable,  monot- 
onous life  seem  to  me,  here  in  this  exile,  were  it  not  for  the  love 
that  quickens  the  blood  in  the  heart  when  I  think  of  you  and  my 
dear  little  prattlers,  whose  hearts  beat  in  return  to  mine,  lonely 
and  far  away  as  I  am.  Hope,  like  the  sustaining  hand  of  an 
angel,  buoys  me  up,  and  I  meet  you  once  more — even  fancy  lends 
its  bubbles  to  float  me  to  your  door,  where  I  meet  you — embrace 
you — kiss  you — love  you  and  press  your  throbbing  bosom  to  my 
own.  The  iron  hand  of  reality  soon  wakens  me  from  such  delu- 
sive dreams !  Ding — dong — ding — dong — ding — dong,  O  weary, 
weary,  weary  days !  Life  is  a  stern,  sad  reality,  is  it  not  ?  Lead- 
ing to — what? 

"  I  have  a  new  set  of  paints  given  to  me  by  Mrs.  Colonel  Albert 
Sydney  Johnston,  and  my  favorite  pastime — painting — will  fill  up 
and  consume  some  of  these  long  hours  of  summer.  I  will  sketch 
our  camp  for  you  soon.  I  never  thought  of  it  before.  You  would 
like  to  know  what  kind  of  a  place  I  live  at,  I  know.  I  am  afraid 
I  shall  be  '  hard  up '  for  something  to  help  me  get  through  these 
long  summer  days.  My  books  were  nearly  all  burnt  up,  you  recol- 
22 


338  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

lect,  and  one  cannot  paint  always.  To  me  there  is  nothing  so 
bitter  as  the  cud  of  idleness,  and  I  am  not  dreamy — those  days  are 
gone  by  when  I  could  forget  myself  in  dreams — of  fancy,  and 
wander  among  scenes  of  the  imagination — the  sheen  of  youth, 
alas,  has  faded  from  my  cheek,  and  eye,  too. 

"  I  have  been  looking  for  those  daguerreotypes  you  promised  to 
send  me.  Do  not  disappoint  me,  it  will  be  some  consolation  to 
see  even  the  faint  image  of  those  I  love  so  well.  In  your  last  letter 
you  mentioned  that  you  were  about  to  start  to  Mobile.  Did  you 
take  the  little  ones  with  you?  Did  you  have  the  pictures  taken? 
I  am  stopped  here  by  an  order  for  a  court-martial — I  am  always 
interrupted.  This  cavalry  service  is  very  different  from  infantry, 
I  assure  you. 

"  Sergeant  Chapman,  who  has  just  been  in,  desires  to  be  re- 
membered to  your  father  and  to  Hollinger.  He  says,  tell  them,  '  I 
am  well  satisfied.'  He  and  Wilcox  are  excellent  soldiers  and  will 
do  good  service. 

"  Take  pains  to  teach  my  dear  little  Libbie  to  be  a  good  and 
well-behaved  little  lady,  and  to  learn  her  letters  and  spell  and  write 
to  her  papa.  Kiss  her  and  my  little  Soldier  a  thousand  times 
for  me.  My  best  respects  to  your  father  and  mother,  and  believe 
me,  my  dear  wife,  with  affectionate  love,  your  devoted  husband, 

"  EARL/' 

LETTER  TO  HIS  WIFE. 

"  CAMP  COOPER,  TEX.,  May — ,  1856, 

"  As  I  had  hoped,  I  received  a  good  long  letter  from  you  by  the 
last  mail,  for  which  I  thank  you.  Your  letters  are  refreshing 
springs  of  joy  to  me  in  this  wilderness.  I  don't  know  what  I 
should  do  without  them.  To  hear  from  you  and  my  dear  children 
so  often  when  I  am  so  far  off  from  you  makes  me  feel  that 
though  cut  off  from  the  world  by  seas,  mountains,  and  plains,  I 
am  not  alone — there  is  a  spirit  of  love  with  me  coming  over  them 
all  with  the  breeze,  there  are  hearts  beyond  that  beat  for  me  and 
send  love,  as  flowers  send  their  fragrance,  even  here.  Is  not  this 
something  to  a  heart  almost  crushed  and  desolate  by  untoward 
circumstances?  My  litih  Libbie  (Olivia)  lisping  a  kind  word  to 
me  is  heard  across  seas  and  deserts,  and  her  dear  little  lips  give 
an  echo  to  my  very  heart's  inmost  recesses :  '  Tell  papa  I  want  to 
see  him  so  bad.'  'Oh,  why  don't  papa  come  back  again ! '  What 


Appendix.  339 

could  warm  a  heart  that  loves  more  than  this  ?  Would  one  not  be 
a  very  stone  not  to  be  moved  by  such  music  from  the  high-strung 
chorus  of  love  and  memory.  I  hope  soon  to  have  the  opportunity 
to  win  my  boy's  love,  too — to  make  him  know  me.  As  for  your 
love  and  affectionate  meaning  to  me — so  constant,  so  unabating 
and  gentle,  what  could  match  it?  What  could  do  more  to  win  my 
heart  and  make  me  feel  the  value  of  woman's  love?  Here  in  this 
solitude,  where  memory  alone  gives  you  to  me,  where  love  keeps 
you  ever  present,  I  have  more  fully  learned  your  worth,  and  know 
more  appreciatively  that  you  are  necessary  to  my  happiness.  I 
long  to  be  with  you  and  look  forward  with  hopeful  happiness  to 
our  reunion — it  shall  be  soon.  In  a  short  time  we  expect  to  learn 
our  final  destination — whatever  it  may  be,  I  will  send  for  you  as 
soon  as  I  know  what  it  is.  So  that  you  may  rely  upon  it.  I  do 
not  know  that  I  shall  be  able  to  leave  Texas  to  go  for  you,  but 
can  meet  you  at  Indianola,  only  four  days  from  Mobile,  whither 
I  will  get  some  one  to  accompany  you  safely  in  the  steamer.  I 
have  no  officer  with  my  companv  but  myself,  and  could  not  hope, 
under  the  circumstances,  to  get  a  leave  of  absence.  You  once  here 
I  will  make  the  shady  side  of  a  naked  rock  my  home  and  laugh 
with  joy  the  balance  of  my  days — if  you  could  be  happy  with  me. 

"  There  is  nothing  new  here — we  expect  news  by  the  mail  next 
Thursday — confirmation  of  appointments,  promotions,  etc.,  and 
orders.  I  will  write  if  anything  new  turns  up.  I  will  also  write 
to  Major  Reynolds  to  send  you  more  funds.  I  will  look  for  those 
daguerorreotypes,  too,  very  soon.  I  will  not  excuse  you  if  you 
fail  to  send  them.  After  telling  you  how  much  I  think  of  you 
and  love  you  I  am  left  without  a  subject  for  a  letter — there  is 
nothing  that  could  interest  you.  We  lead  a  monotonous  camp 
life  so  far — drills,  parades,  etc.  A  few  rapscalion  Indians  visii 
our  camp  every  day  and  bore  us  to  death  by  begging.  It  is  morti- 
fying to  a  soldier's  pride  to  know  that  all  his  devotion  to  his 
country  is  wasted  on  such  miserable  devils  (nothing  else). 

"  The  prairies  around  us  are  fragrant  with  beautiful  wild  flow- 
ers ;  some  of  which  I  recognize  as  old  friends  of  the  pretending 
gorgeous  gardens — verbena,  wild  pink,  lilac,  heartease,  camo- 
mile, daisy,  etc.  Wolves  run  through  the  camp  in  numbers  every 
night,  howling  like  fiends  of  the  lower  world.  Springs  gush  up 
from  unadorned  rocks  in  this  region  and  disappear  almost  as  soon 
as  seen,  seeking  undergrounH  nassage  to  the  ocean;  long  forked- 


34O  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

tailed  birds  fly  about  in  the  stunted  groves  of  trees  that  do  not 
know  how  to  worship  God  by  singing — Indians,  wolves,  serpents, 
scorpions,  and  such  unaccountable  works  of  nature,  have  made 
this  region  their  abiding  place,  and,  strange  to  say,  here,  in  places, 
nature  smiles — here  beautiful  flowers  fling  their  sweetness  on  the 
morning  breeze  and  seem  as  gay — yes,  gayer  than  when  they  rise 

and  fall  on  the  bosom  of  the  city  belle — but  fudge 

"  Kiss  my  dear  little  Libbie  and  tell  her  her  papa  will  see  her 
before  a  great  while,  and  will  love  her  '  more  than  tongue  can 
tell.'  Kiss  my  dear  boy,  too,  bless  his  little  belligerent  soul — he'll 
fight  for  his  country  some  day — cotton  head,  is  he  ?  I  was  once." 

TO  HIS  WIFE. 

"  FORT  MASON,  TEX.,  July  18,  1860. 

"  I  have  been  expecting  orders  every  day  to  go  out  again,  but  as 
yet  none  have  come,  although  Major  George  H.  Thomas  said  he 
would  go  out  about  the  1st  or  loth  of  this  month.  It  is  now  the 
1 8th.  I  think  it  doubtful  if  I  go  or  not,  as  I  expect  my  promotion 
by  every  mail.  It  is  certain  now  that  Colonel  Johnston  was  con- 
firmed by  the  Senate  as  quartermaster-general.  This  will  make 
me  major  of  the  Second  Cavalry  Regiment.  If  I  am  promoted 
before  Major  Thomas'  order  comes  I  shall  not  go  out  under  him. 
I  am  happy  at  the  thought  of  going  to  see  you  as  a  full  major.  I 
wish  I  were  with  you  that  we  might  rejoice  together  at  the  long- 
wished-for  event  of  promotion  to  the  position  of  field  officer.  Now 
there  is  some  reason  for  the  hope  that  I  shall  one  day  be  '  General 
in  the  Army ! '  I  am  not  yet  forty  and  have  no  gray  hairs.  Yet  a 
field  officer — it  is  fortunate,  and  as  the  wheel  turns  around,  I  must 
prepare  to  do  credit  to  the  position.  I  shall  wait  anxiously  for  the 
time  when  I  shall  set  out  on  my  way  to  see  you,  and  hope  it  will 
fly  by  rapidly  and  bring  us  happily  together,  with  my  dear  children 
by  my  side.  I  shall  find  them  grown  taller  and  improved ;  the  boy 
as  brave  as  Julius  Caesar,  the  daughter  as  gentle  as  good  little 
girls  should  be.  We  will  have  a  happy  time  together  as  in  days 
of  old — better.  .  .  . 

"  This  morning  the  sun  was  eclipsed  and  Venus  and  Mars  will 
soon  be  in  conjunction.  Speaking  of  Mars,  by  the  way,  I  see  that 
Spain  talks  of  sending  her  victorious  Morocco  army  over  the 
waters  to  regulate  the  Yankees.  I  think  if  they  do,  that  they  will 
find  we  can  dress  their  hides  for  them  and  set  them  up  in  three- 


Appendix.  341 

leagued  boots  (patent  leathers)  better  than  morocco,  or  prunella, 
either.  .  .  . 

"  Your  ever  affectionate  husband, 

"  EARL." 

After  the  various  expeditions  against  the  Comanches  the  news- 
papers of  Mississippi  and  the  whole  country  rang  with  the  gallant 
deeds  of  Major  Earl  Van  Dorn  and  his  brave  soldiers.  A  few  of 
these  comments  are  quoted. 

TO  HIS  WIFE. 

"  NEW  ORLEANS,  LA.,  September  17,  1861. 

"  I  arrived  in  this  city  from  Texas  last  night  under  orders  to 
report  immediately  at  the  headquarters  of  the  army  at  Richmond, 
having  been  relieved  in  command  of  the  Department  of  Texas. 
I  must,  therefore,  go  on  in  the  morning,  and  it  makes  my  heart 
bleed  to  pass  so  near  you  without  being  able  to  stop  and  see  you. 
It  is  hard,  but  can't  be  helped.  It  is  said  by  those  just  from  Rich- 
mond, that  it  is  intended  to  have  a  large  cavalry  force  in  the  next 
battle,  and  that  I  was  sent  for  to  command  it,  and  that  I  should 
not  lose  a  moment  in  reaching  my  command,  as  the  two  armies 
were  drawing  near  each  other,  and  any  day  might  bring  on  a  colli- 
sion. It  is  a  point  of  honor,  therefore,  for  me  to  hurry  on  with 
no  delay  that  is  not  unavoidable.  I  have  been  twelve  days  from 
San  Antonio.  I  have  been  sick  a  good  deal  the  last  six  weeks  with 
chills  and  fevers,  and  now  have  ophthalmia  and  can  scarcely  see  to 
write  this  letter.  I  have  suffered  extremely  with  my  eyes  on  the 
trip  over ;  they  are  to-day  a  little  better,  and  I  hope  in  a  few  days 
I  will  be  well  enough  to  see  how  to  conduct  my  cavalry  command 
where  they  should  go.  I  do  not  know  how  you  are,  as  I  have  not 
heard  a  word  from  you  for  more  than  six  weeks.  I  have  not 
written  very  regularly  because  of  sickness,  but  you  should  have 
heard  from  me  several  times  since  then.  I  have  not  blamed  you, 
though,  for  the  mails  are  very  irregular,  indeed,  and  for  weeks  at 
a  time  we  have  had  nothing  at  all.  I  will  now,  however,  be  able 
to  hear  oftener  from  you  and  to  write  oftener  to  you.  Direct  your 
letters  to  Richmond,  Va.,  care  of  the  adjutant-general. 

"  I  have  telegraphed  to  Sister  Emily  to  ask  if  she  could  not 
bring  Sis'  out  to  Hazelhurst  to  see  me  on  my  way  to  Virginia.  I 
do  hope  I  shall  see  her,  if  I  cannot  see  all  of  you.  I  wish  you  were 


342  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

more  accessible  that  I  might  stop  a  day  or  two  with  you ;  but  you 
know  how  much  I  would  lose  by  going  to  your  father's.  God 
grant  that  it  may  not  be  long  before  I  shall  be  able  to  visit  you. 
In  these  times  of  trouble  and  wars  everything  is  uncertain 
and  nothing  can  be  calculated  upon.  No  one  knows  what  to- 
morrow may  bring  forth  ;  but  I  feel  sure  that  I  shall  see  you  again, 
and  before  a  great  while.  Pray  that  it  may  be  so.  My  country 
calls  me  again  into  danger,  but  I  go  cheerfully,  feeling  that  I  am 
doing  so  in  a  good  cause.  Thousands  will  weep  before  the  close 
of  this  unholy  war  made  upon  us,  but  the  cup  of  woe  cannot  be  put 
aside.  I  shall  do  my  duty,  in  order  that  if  I  live  through  it,  I  may 
walk  erect  as  a  patriot,  true  to  his  country,  as  a  father  is  true  to 
his  wife  and  his  children,  and  if  I  fall,  that  the  tears  shed  for 
me  may  be  softened  by  pride  that  I  fell  as  a  soldier  doing  his  duty. 
I  shall  be  preserved,  though,  and  will  meet  you  again.  God  bless 
you  and  my  little  ones.  Good-by.  I  will  write  again  from 
Richmond." 

"  PORT  GIBSON,  Miss.,  Sept.  19,  1861. 
"  MY  DEAR  BROTHER  : 

"  I  cannot  tell  you  how  much  disappointed  Olivia  and  I  were 
that  the  storm  prevented  us  from  going  to  meet  you  at  the  railroad 
when  you  passed  on  your  way  to  Virginia.  Olivia  became  much 
excited  when  your  telegram  came,  and  she  wept  when  told  that 
you  were  going  away  again.  She  loves  you  devotedly,  and  it  is 
surprising,  for  children  do  not  often  feel  such  strong  attachment 
for  one  so  much  away  from  them.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Abbay  inquire 
often  for  you,  and  are  very  attentive  to  your  little  daughter. 
Their  son  George  is  first  lieutenant  in  Colonel  Moody's  company 
of  artillery,  and  Sidney  is  captain  in  Jno.  T.  Moore's.  George  and 
Andrew  Sevier  are  both  in  Col.  Henry  Hughes'  regiment.  You 
will  meet  many  Port  Gibson  boys  at  Manassas.  We  all  have  great 
respect  for  volunteers  since  the  battle  of  Manassas,  and  the 
Southern  boys  seem  to  fight  as  by  inspiration.  If  tears  and  prayers 
could  save  our  dear  one's  and  the  country  the  war  would  soon  end. 
What  can  I  send  you  in  the  way  of  warm  apparel  ?  I  know  from 
your  wife  that  you  never  have  worn  clothing  heavy  enough  for 
that  climate.  You  are  a  little  over  21  now  and  cannot  endure  the 
exposure  you  once  could,  nor  will  the  cold  in  Virginia  warrant 
light  clothing  The  ladies  give  concerts  and  tableaux  for  the  ben- 


Appendix.  343 

efit  of  the  soldiers,  and  the  entrance  fee  is  now  two  pairs  of  wool 
socks,  knitted  by  themselves.  Women  and  girls  knit  riding  in 
carriages  through  the  country,  on  horseback,  and  at  all  times  mov- 
ing their  needles  as  if  the  battles  depended  on  socks.  Olivia  pre- 
fers to  study  at  home  rather  than  go  to  the  Academy.  She  keeps 
regular  hours  and  recites  a  lesson  in  spelling,  geography,  etc.,  with 
French  and  music  to  relieve  the  dryness  of  the  other  studies.  Did 
you  take  '  Fink'  (what  a  name  for  a  noble  animal)  to  Virginia? 
We  are  cut  off  from  news  from  Sisters  Jane  and  Octavia.  Clem 
is  in  the  loth  Miss.  Vols.  We  ladies  have  become  expert  coat 
and  pant  makers,  and  you  would  smile  to  see  the  garments  turned 
out  for  the  boys — I  suppose  they  smile,  too,  when  they  get  them ! 
We  are  ready  to  sacrifice  everything  for  the  army — blankets,  piano 
covers,  and  all  sorts  of  things  that  could  be  used.  We  have  mili- 
tary aid  societies,  and  the  work  accomplished  is  wonderful.  Olivia 
is  very  happy  and  contented.  Write  to  her  often." 

'  BAY  ST.  Louis,  Miss.,  Oct.  31,  1861. 
"  MY  DEAR  GENERAL  : 

"  I  congratulate  you  on  your  brilliant  career  in  Texas,  and  hope 
that  new  honors  await  you  in  Virginia.  We  Mississippians  were 
delighted  to  hear  of  your  transfer  to  that  important  line.  There 
is  an  independent  troop  of  cavalry,  the  Adams  County  troops,  Cap- 
tain Martin,  now,  I  believe,  under  the  orders  of  Z.  E.  B.  Stuart.  I 
hope  you  will  have  it  attached  to  your  command  and  near  your 
person.  It  is  composed  of  natives  of  Adams  County  (chiefly), 
sons  of  the  old  friends  of  your  father — mostly  young  men  of  largcJ 
fortunes.  I  have  four  nephews  and  five  or  six  kinsmen  in  it,  and 
my  only  son,  Willis  H.  Claiborne,  belonged  to  it.  He  resigned 
his  seat  in  the  legislature  and  a  staff  appointment  to  enter  that 
troop  as  a  private.  He  is  a  man  of  talents,  skilled  in  the  use  of 
arms,  and  cool  and  brave.  He  is  the  strongest  tie  that  binds  me 
to  the  world,  though  I  never  expect  to  see  him  again — I  want,  if 
he  falls,  buried  at  some  farm  place  where  his  remains  can  be  iden- 
tified. 

"  I  am  writing  the  history  of  this  revolution,  and  my  first 
volume,  commencing  with  the  administration  of  Buchanan  and 
ending  with  the  installation  of  the  provisional  government  at  Mont- 
gomery, is  nearly  completed.  For  your  Texas  operations  I  have 
reserved  a  place,  and  when  this  war  is  over  we  will  have  an  inter- 


344  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

view,  and  you  must  furnish  mei  the  necessary  outline.  I  beg  you 
likewise  to  preserve  every  paper  and  memorandum  of  your  opera- 
tions in  Virginia  and  elsewhere  that  may  be  of  service  to  me.  My 
friend,  General  Beauregard,  will  do  the  same.  .  .  . 

"  J.  F.  H.  CLAIBORNE. 

"  P.  S. — A  great  alarm  prevails  along  the  coast.  Ship  Island 
has  been  abandoned  and  the  United  States  flag  is  flying  therefrom ; 
so  it  is  on  the  Chandedeur  which  they  are  fortifying.  Cur  coast 
operations  have  been  badly  managed." 

To  Richmond,  Va.,  General  Bragg  writes : 

"  TUPELO,  Miss.,  July  12,  1862. 

"  By  the  latest  advices  from  Vicksburg  it  seems  the  enemy  has 
given  up  the  reduction  of  that  place  by  water.  The  cut-off  is  a 
failure,  and  it  is  now  said  they  are  constructing  a  railroad  across 
the  neck  of  land  that  we  can  easily  render  useless  by  putting  up 
batteries  opposite  the  termini. 

"  The  determined  defense  of  Vicksburg,  which  I  directed  Gen- 
eral Van  Dorn  to  make  at  every  hazard  and  to  the  last  extremity, 
has  been  highly  creditable  to  him  and  to  his  troops,  and  has  dis- 
appointed the  enemy  and  disconcerted  his  plans.  He  is  suffering 
much,  too,  from  the  frequent  and  unexpected  attacks  of  our  troops 
in  ambush  on  the  bank  of  the  river." 

GENERAL  VAN  DORN  AND  THE  PRESS. 

(From  the  Vicksburg  Whig.} 

We  see  several  of  our  exchanges  are  pretty  severe  upon  General 
Earl  Van  Dorn  for  shackling  the  press  of  this  department.  Al- 
though severe,  we  cannot  say  they  are  unjustly  so,  for  his  order 
regarding  the  press  is  without  parallel  in  the  Confederacy,  and  will 
ever  remain  a  blemish  upon  his  escutcheon.  When  it  was  an- 
nounced that  General  Van  Dorn  was  placed  in  command  of  this 
department,  our  people  were  elated.  He  was  a  Mississippian, 
"  native  and  to  the  manor  born,"  and  we  expected  him  to  pursue  a 
policy  which  would  raise  him  higher  and  higher  in  their  respect 
and  confidence  each  succeeding  day ;  but  his  assuming  a  power  in 
violation  of  the  Constitution  of  the  land — a  power  which  Congress 
itself,  prompted  by  wise  counsels,  would  not  touch,  will  have  the 
effect  of  impairing  confidence  instead  of  increasing  it.  We  have 


Appendix.  345 

heretofore  given  our  opinion  in  regard  to  destroying  the  liberty  of 
the  press,  and  we  have  now  no  reason  to  change  that  conviction,  so 
firmly  engrafted  from  infancy.  We  have  been  taught  since  we 
knew  what  freedom  was,  that  we  were  living  under  a  government 
the  most  republican  that  ever  the  sun  shone  on ;  and  under  the  new 
regime — the  stars  and  bars — we  have  boasted  of  fighting  for  free- 
dom's cause — fighting  to  rescue  the  torch  of  liberty  from  a  horde 
of  Northern  fanatics  who  have  destroyed  every  pillar  under  the 
temple  itself. 

But  could  it  be  called  a  land  of  liberty  where  a  journalist  is 
threatened  with  a  dungeon  if  he  shows  up  before  the  world  error 
and  wrong?  Where  is  our  boasted  liberty,  if  freedom  of  speech 
is  prohibited,  and  the  press  is  pared  down  into  bashful  irregularity 
by  those  in  power  ?  Will  the  sacred  word  liberty  not  be  an  empty 
sound  ?  The  Constitution  upon  which  our  government  is  founded 
is  our  shield,  and  so  long  as  we  are  permitted  to  express  our  senti- 
ments at  all,  the  public  will  find  us  true  sentinels,  ever  on  the 
watch-tower,  ready  to  denounce  fraud,  sedition,  and  imbecility 
whenever  detected,  and  to  applaud  and  do  homage  to  those  whose 
conduct  whether  as  private  citizens  or  public  functionaries,  merit 
it.  We  shall  always  avoid  tripping  our  pen  into  intemperate  ex- 
pressions— expressions  that  would  prove  beneficial  to  our  enemy 
and  detrimental  to  our  own  cause.  Such  a  course,  we  cannot 
think,  will  be  disapproved  of  by  any  freeman,  and  it  is  the  only 
line  of  policy  that  the  press  can  pursue  in  justice  to  itself,  the 
Government,  and  the  people  it  represents.  If  there  are  any  who 
cannot  see  the  necessity  of  maintaining  a  press  thus,  they  certainly 
are  lacking  in  knowledge  of  the  first  principles  of  political  phi- 
losophy, every  page  of  history,  and  the  fundamental  elements  of 
their  native  country's  civilization.* 

AUGUST  8,  1863. 

General  Joe  E.  Johnston  reports  to  the  President  with  refer- 
ence to  his  command  that  he  directed  General  Van  Dorn  to  form 

*  Who  will  not  admit  that  in  time  of  peace  the  above  sentiments  are  true,  but 
in  time  of  war,  invasion,  with  the  peril  of  losing  all  freedom,  not  only  of  the  press 
but  of  personal  liberty  and  property  in  martial  law  is  safety  and  right  ?  If  a  Gen- 
eral has  severity  of  manner  and  seeks  to  impress  this  spirit  and  discipline,  he  will 
be  cut  off  by  assassination  or  public  rebellion.  If  he  is  heedless  of  discipline  and 
careless  he  will  lose  the  esteem  of  the  people  and  have  the  scorn  of  the  public. 


346  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

two-thirds  of  the  cavalry  near  Grenada  into  a  division  to  join 
General  Bragg  with  it.  That  these  troops  were  transferred  from 
a  country  in  which  they  could  not  operate  and  a  department  not 
threatened,  and  in  which  the  enemy  had  just  been  repulsed,  to  one 
in  which  they  were  greatly  needed,  where  he  had  just  suffered  a 
reverse  and  were  in  danger  of  another.  These  troops  and  their 
gallant  leader  rendered  very  important  services  in  Tennessee ;  they 
had  several  engagements  with  the  enemy  to  the  advantage  and 
honor  of  our  arms,  and  without  them  we  could  not  have  held  the 
country,  which  till  the  latter  part  of  June  furnished  food  for 
Bragg's  army. 

In  the  foregoing  pages  the  writer  has  frequently  referred  to  and 
quoted  from  the  most  interesting  "  Personal  Memoirs  "  of  General 
U.  S.  Grant,  and  in  token  of  the  esteem  in  which  that  general  has 
been  held  by  the  city  which  surrendered  to  him  in  1863,  for  his  just 
and  magnanimous  treatment  of  the  Southern  troops  upon  their 
surrender  and  the  Southern  people  at  large  while  he  was  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  these  extracts  from  a  memorial  meet- 
ing called  together  to  do  him  honor  when  his  noble  spirit  left  the 
earth  after  prolonged  suffering  at  Mt.  McGregor,  are  given : 

"  VlCKSBURG,  MlSS.,  August  8,  1885. 

"  After  a  military  and  civic  procession  through  the  city,  the 
meeting  was  called  to  order,  and  after  prayer  and  music  and  the 
usual  resolutions  of  respect,  the  chairman,  Hon.  T.  Marshall 
Miller,  was  introduced  and  made  the  following  address : 

"  '  MY  FELLOW-CITIZENS  : 

"  '  I  would  ask  a  moment's  indulgence  to  say  a  few  words  before 
formally  calling  this  meeting  to  order. 

" '  A  stranger  from  another  planet  who  should  be  permitted  a 
bird's-eye  view  of  our  land  under  its  present  aspect  might  well  be 
astonished  and  would  ask :  "  Why  these  long  lines  of  crape-decked 
houses;  whence  this  unusual  lamentation;  these  slowly  winding 
processions  ;  these  mournful  chants  ?  " 

"  '  A  fitting  anwer  would  be :  "A  great  nation  mourns  her 
greatest — a  busy,  money-getting,  machine-making  nation  has 
enough  of  hero-worship  left  in  it  to  lay  aside  all  usual  occupation ; 
to  quell  all  public  animosity ;  to  still  all  private  spite,  and  as  one 


Appendix.  347 

man  pause  to  drop  a  tear  and  lay  a  laurel  wreath  on  the'  grave  of 
her  most  distinguished  soldier. 

"  '  Fortunate  was  his  star — great  his  achievements,  and  long  and 
loud  the  applause  his  career  elicited.  Yet  the  most  singular  and 
unique  tribute  that  was  ever  given  to  any  conqueror  is  his  to-day ; 
and  it  is  this :  That  from  the  scene  of  his  greatest  triumph ;  the 
place  that  he  brought  all  his  genius  and  all  his  force  to  siege 
and  batter,  and  storm  and  shell ;  that  suffered  the  humiliation  of 
conquest  at  his  hands — should  come  a  deep  and  lasting  grief  for  his 
death — a  universal  lament  over  his  sufferings. 

"  '  Yes,  in  1863,  General  Grant  conquered  us,  and  left  us  with 
heart  sore  and  bruised.  But  in  1875,  when  another  hour,  as  dark, 
if  not  darker,  came  to  Vicksburg;  when  all  that  honorable  men 
hold  dear  hung  trembling  in  the  balance ;  when  every  conceivable- 
pressure  was  brought  to  bear  on  President  Grant  to  induce  him 
to  order  troops  here  to  keep  us  down  in  the  dust  by  brute  force,  he 
refused.  Then  he  conquered  us  for  the  second  time  and  forever ! 

"  '  Then  men  said,  the  great  soldier  could  never  sink  to  be  the 
mere  partisan  ;  the  large-hearted  President  could  not  be  blinded  by 
the  wants  and  needs  of  his  people  by  sectionalism. 

"  '  Henceforth  no  more  shall  it  be  said  that  to  Caesar  alone  was 
it  given  to  be  mighty  captain,  mighty  ruler,  and  mighty  writer. 
Open,  earth !  for  we  come  to  lay  within  your  bosom  a  greater  than 
Caesar,  in  that  he  adds  to  the  list  of  honors  another  and  a  brighter, 
— that  of  Christian  gentleman ! 

"  Bury  the  great  dead. 

With  an  empire's  lamentation 

Let  us  bury  the  great  dead 

To  the  noise  of  the  mourning  of  a  mighty  nation." 

"  Then  followed  other  eloquent  addresses,  and  a  resolution  ex- 
pressing sorrow  and  high  esteem  for  the  most  illustrious  citizen 
of  the  Republic." 

"TUSCUMBIA,  ALA.,  July  7,  1862. 
"  FROM  FEDERAL  OFFICER  : 

Teleigram : 

"  General  G.  H.  Thomas  states  that  deserters  from  Aberdeen 
say  Van  Dorn's  division  passed  down  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  Rail- 
road en  route  to  East  Tennessee,  much  sickness  and  discontent  in 
the  army  and  a  great  many  desertions.  Van  Dorn  has  scouts  out 


348  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

reporting  all  our  movements ;  look  out  for  Van  Dorn.     Informed 
that  Van  Dorn  and  Price  are  marching  on  Nashville  with  40,000. 

"  September  23,  1862,  Van  Dorn  is  approaching  Tompkinsville." 
"  MEMPHIS,  TEN.,  en  route  to  Corinth,  April  8,  1862. 

Telegram 
"  To  GENERAL  BEAUREGARD, 

"  Commanding  at  Corinth,  Miss. : 

"  Boats  leave  this  evening  with  detachments  to  execute  your 
order.  Cotton  will  be  burned.  .  j 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN." 
"  HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  WEST, 

"  MEMPHIS,  TENN.,  April  27,  1862. 
"  To  CAPTAIN  JOHNSON,  MEMPHIS  : 

"  SIR  : — You  will  proceed  to  the  steamer  furnished  for  the  pur- 
pose by  the  quartermaster  along  the  Mississippi  River.  You  will 
inform  the  planters  on  the  banks  that  the  river  is  now  open  to  the 
enemy,  and  that  the  interests  of  our  country  demand  that  they 
shall  at  once  destroy  all  of  their  cotton.  No  time  is  to  be  lost  in 
the  execution  of  this  duty.  Should  any  hesitate  or  fail  to  comply 
with  your  call  upon  them,  you  will  yourself  take  possession  of  and 
burn  the  cotton,  taking  care  to  injure  no  other  property. 

"  It  is  made  your  duty  to  se'e  that  all  of  the  cotton  within 
reach  of  the  river  is  destroyed  at  once.  The  proprietors  will  take 
an  account  of  the  amount  destroyed,  as  you  will  of  all  which  you 
may  have  to  destroy  yourself.  These  orders  are  given  to  you  by 
General  Van  Dorn  under  instructions  from  General  Beauregard. 

"  In  executing  the  above  orders  you  will  go  as  far  up  and  down 
the  Mississippi  as  the  gunboats  of  the  enemy  will  allow ;  and  in  the 
event  of  your  being  pursued  by  them,  if  you  cannot  run  your  boat 
into  a  place  of  security  from  them,  you  must,  on  abandoning,  de- 
stroy her,  to  prevent  the  enemy  from  getting  possession  of  her. 

"  By  order  of  EARL  VAN  DORN." 

"  CORINTH,  Miss.,  April  23,  1862. 

Telegram 
"  To  GENERAL  VAN  DORN  FROM  GENERAL  BEAUREGARD  : 

"  Planters  along  Mississippi  hesitate  to  burn  cotton.  Order  par- 
ties under  proper  officers  to  go  in  small  steamboats  to  burn  all  cot- 
ton within  their  reach  along  river,  and  call  in  public  paper  on  said 
planters  to  burn  their  cotton,  otherwise  keeping  account  of  number 
of  bales  burned," 


Appendix.  349 

CONDUCT  OF  THE  ASSASSIN  AFTER  HIS  ESCAPE  INTO  NASHVILLE. 

"  October  25,  1901. 
"  DEAR  SIR  : 

". . . .  My  recollection  is  that  it  was  the  night  after  the  man  killed 
General  Van  Dorn  that  he  occupied  the  same  room  with  me  in 
Nashville  in  1863,  and  not  the  day  of  the  tragedy.  He  told  me  he 
had  come  through  the  lines  on  horseback,  and  the  distance  from 
Spring  Hill  to  Nashville  was  too  great  for  him  to  do  that  the 
night  of  his  shooting  [this  was  done  early  after  breakfast  in  the 
morning. — Ed.]  I  was  rooming  at  Ben  Weller's  boarding  house 
on  Clay  Street,  a  large  house,  when  the  proprietor  told  me  this 
man,  whom  he  could  recommend,  had  tried  to  get  a  room  at  the 
St.  Cloud  and  other  hotels,  but  failed  because  they  were  all 
crowded,  and  it  would  be  a  favor  to  him  if  I  would  permit  this  per- 
son to  share  my  bed  for  one  night.  I  consented.  You  ask  me  to 
tell  you  of  the  conduct  of  the  man.  He  acted  like  a  crazy  man. 
My  room  was  on  the  floor  above  the  basement  where  the  dining- 
room  and  kitchen  were.  It  was  called  the  first  floor,  but  the  dis- 
tance from  the  window  sill  to  the  ground  was  too  great  for  one  to 
hurt  one  by  shooting  in  through  the  window  unless  he  stood  on  a 
ladder.  For  several  hours  and  until  midnight  the  man  occupied 
the  time  telling  me  in  detail  his  troubles,  and  all  the  details  of 
the  shooting.  His  conversation  was  rational,  but  he  labored  under 
great  mental  excitement,  and  expressed  a  fear  that  some  friend  of 
General  Van  Dorn  in  Nashville  would  assassinate  him  if  he  stayed 
in  that  city.  I  endeavored  to  calm  him,  telling  him  that  no  friend 
of  Van  Dorn  would  dare  attempt  his  injury  in  a  city  so  full  ot 
Union  soldiers  as  Nashville.  We  both  retired  to  the  same  bed 
about  twelve,  leaving  a  small — very  small  light  from  a  gas  burner. 
In  a  moment  I  was  asleep,  but  within,  perhaps,  half  an  hour  I 
was  startled  by  the  report  of  a  pistol.  When  aroused  by  the  shot 
by  the  man,  through  the  window,  several  gas  jets  were  fully 
turned  on,  making  the  room  very  light.  He  got  out  of  bed  very 
soon  after  getting  in  it,  turned  on  the  gas,  and  with  a  fully  lighted 
room  imagined  he  had  seen  an  assassin  at  the  window  and  had 
shot  at  him.  Jumping  up  I  saw  the  man  standing  against  the  wall 
in  his  night  clothes,  barefooted,  and  with  the  pistol  leveled, 
pointing  to  the  window.  The  bed  was  directly  on  a  level  between 
the  man  and  the  window,  and  as  his  hand,  holding  the  pistol,  was 


35o  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

shaking  like  that  of  one  with  palsy,  I  did  not  feel  my  position  an 

entirely  safe  one.     I  called  to  him,  '  Don't  point  that  d d  pistol 

this  way ! '  I  asked  him  why  he  was  there  and  why  he  had  fired. 
He  replied  that  an  assassin  on  the  outside  had  fired  through  the 
window  at  him  and  he  had  returned  the  fire.  As  only  one  shot 
had  been  fired  it  was  his  own  shot.  He  then  talked  in  a  wild 
crazy  way.  I  tried  to  assure  him  nobody  had  shot  at  him ;  that 
it  was  an  hallucination ;  but  I  could  not.  I  then  regarded  him  as 
temporarily  insane,  and  sat  up  with  him  the  remainder  of  the 
night,  as  he  would  not  give  up  his  pistol. 

"  Before  he  came  to  my  room,  about  8  p.  m.,  he  had  endeavored 
to  get  permission  from  the  military  authority  to  go  to  St.  Louis 
but  had  been  refused.  Under  the  regulations  then  existing  this 
permission  was  necessary. 

"  The  day  after,  or  the  day  of  my  experience  with  the  man, 
my  father  procured  for  him  the  permit  which  enabled  him  to  go 
to  St.  Louis. 

("Signed,) 
"  JOHN  B.  BROWNLOW." 

(In  this  interview  with  Mr.  Brownlow  the  murderer  narrated 
in  a  wild  excited  manner  a  scene  that  never  could  have  possibly 
have  occurred.  He  described  General  Van  Dorn  as  he  saw  him  in 
dark,  and  recognized  him,  he  said,  by  the  feather  in  his  hat — when 
the  General  never  wore  a  feather  in  his  life.  A  staff  officer  states 
that  General  Van  Dorn  could  not  leave- his  quarters  without  being 
observed,  so  great  was  the  publicity  of  his  surroundings,  and 
every  hour  of  his  movements  could  be  accounted  for  for  many 
days  before  the  sad  occurrence.  This  officer  writes  graphically 
of  the  scene  of  the  room  and  the  position  of  his  chief  a  few  mo- 
ments after  the  shooting,  and  a  diagram  of  the  room,  etc.,  are 
given,  with  a  full  account  of  the  action  of  the  troops  and  pursuit 
of  the  assassin  some  miles  into  the  enemy's  lines.) 

He  says :  "  For  days  and  nights  General  Van  Dorn  was  not 
absent  from  his  quarters  in  Spring  Hill.  I  knoiv  that  the  account 
the  assassin  gave  of  his  act  and  escape  to  be  untrue,  apart  from 
the  dauntless  courage  of  General  Van  Dorn,  which  would  not  have 
allowed  him  to  submit  to  the  dictation  of  mortal  man.  On  the 
morning  of  the  fatal  interview,  just  after  breakfast,  I  was  standing 


Appendix.  351 

in  the  yard  at  No.  6  on  the  rough  diagram,  engaged  in  smoking 
and  desultory  conversation  with  Colonel  Dillon.  As  we  stood 
there  the  man  rode  up  to  the  side  gate,  No.  13  on  the  plat,  dis- 
mounted, and  threw  his  horse's  reins  over  the  gate  post,  walked 
to  the  front  door  (No.  n),  and  entered  the  house,  we  officers 
touching  our  hats  to  him  and  he  returning  the  salutation  as  he 
went  in.  We  were  utterly  unsuspicious  of  danger,  or  of  course 
I,  or  both  of  us,  would  at  once  have  followed  him  to  the  house  on 
some  military  pretext.  We  remained  standing  at  No.  6  for  proba- 
bly five,  perhaps  ten  minutes,  when  the  man  came  out  of  the  house, 
walked  to  No.  13,  mounted  his  horse,  and  rode  away — going  out 
the  lane  towards  the  east,  and  away  from  the  main  street  of  the 
town.  We  thought  nothing  of  it,  because  (i)  the  family  was 
nearly  allied  to  his  wife,  and  he  visited  the  premises  from  time  to 
time,  as  did  his  wife.  (2)  We  knew  that  the  man  (who  was  a 
physician)  possessed  a  general  order  from  Gen.  Jos.  E.  Johnston 
to  be  permitted  to  pass  our  lines  at  all  times,  and  it  had  been  his 
habit  whenever  he  desired  to  do  so  in  our  front  to  come  to  General 
Van  Dorn  and  obtain  an  order  from  him  to  our  pickets  to  permit 
him  to  pass  out  and  return ;  and  we  naturally  supposed  this  to 
have  been  his  errand  on  the  occasion  in  question.  Well,  he  came 
out  and  rode  away,  and  not  exceeding  two  minutes  thereafter  a 
daughter  of  the  house  came  running  out  of  the  front  door  wring- 
ing her  hands  and  crying  out  to  us,  '  Come  here !  come  here !  Doc- 
tor    has  shot  General  Van  Dorn ! '  We  ran  hastily  into 

the  General's  room  (No.  2),  and  found  him  seated  in  his  chair, 
his  head  leaning  back  against  the  window  pane  at  No.  7,  and  his 
right  arm  resting  on  his  writing-table  that  stood  between  the  two 
windows  (Nos.  7  and  8).  His  left  arm  was  on  his  lap,  blood  was 
flowing  from  the  back  of  his  head  against  the  glass,  and  he  was 
convulsively  shuddering.  With  that  one  glance  my  thoughts 
turned  to  the  assassin,  and  I  ran  out  of  the  back  door  of  the  house 
(No.  12),  to  order  one  of  the  three  mounted  couriers,  whose  horses 
were  habitually  hitched  at  the  rack  (No.  14),  to  order  the  com- 
mander of  the  body-guard  across  the  road  to  mount  his  whole 
command  in  hot  haste  and  he  to  report  at  once  to  me,  and  the 
other  two  couriers  to  pursue  the  murderer  (pointing  out  the  di- 
rection) and  to  kill  him  on  the  spot.  But,  as  would  not  have  hap- 
pened once  in  a  thousand  times  at  cavalry  headquarters,  there  were 
no  horses  there.  Two  couriers  had  been  sent  off  on  errands,  one 


352  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

had  sent  his  horse  to  be  shod,  and  there  happened  to  be  no  visitors. 
So  there  was  not  a  mounted  man,  nor  a  saddle  horse  there.  I 
called  the  dismounted  courier  and  sent  him  full  speed  to  Captain 
Bradley  of  the  body-guard,  and  then  returned  to  the  General's 
room  to  observe  accurately  his  condition  and  what  had  occurred 
in  his  room.  Other  officers  had  arrived,  and  they  (with  Milton, 
his  body  servant)  were  in  the  act  of  removing  the  General  from 
his  chair  to  his  bed.  I  observed  that  his  sword  was  in  its  place 
on  the  wall  next  to  the  parlor ;  a  chair  in  front  of  the  open  wood 
fire,  and  no  other  furniture  displaced.  There  had  evidently  been 
no  struggle  of  any  kind.  A  piece  of  writing  paper,  and  a  pen 
still  wet  with  ink,  and  the  inkstand,  were  on  the  table  near  the 
General's  hand.  The  pistol  ball  had  entered  the  center  of  the 
back  of  his  head  and  lodged  under  the  forehead,  the  right  eye  soon 
becoming  swollen  and  dark  from  the  effects  of  it.  There  was  a 
very  small  round  hole  in  the  head,  evidently  made  by  a  ball  from 
a  parlor  pistol,  which  makes  no  noise  louder  than  the  snapping 
of  a  cap,  and  hence  it  was  not  heard  in  explosion  though  so  near. 
Indeed,  it  was  not  heard  in  the  house  through  the  thick  brick  par- 
tition walls,  and  the  young  girl  who  had  been  in  the  opposite  room 
across  the  hall  at  the  time,  heard  no  shot,  but  went  to  the  room 
and  made  the  discovery.  She  heard  the  assassin  come  out  and 
walk  rapidly  through  the  hall,  and  then  went  to  the  room  on  a 
domestic  errand. 

"  From  all  this  it  is  perfectly  apparent  what  occurred.  Keep 
the  diagrams  before  you  and  you  will  see  the  situation.  I  can 
narrate  it  as  certainly  as  if  1  had  been  in  the  room,  a  passive  wit- 
ness: The  man  knocked  at  the  door,  was  bidden  to  enter,  and  did 
so.  I  do  not  now  remember  whether  Major  Kimmel,  A.-A.- 
General,  was  in  the  room,  as  it  is  affirmed,  but  if  so  his  business 
was  of  a  confidential  nature  as  the  adjutant-general  and  he  with- 
drew. After  the  word  good-morning  passed,  General  Van  Dorn 
invited  the  man  to  a  seat  near  the  fire,  it  being  a  raw,  damp  morn- 
ing in  early  May — and  he  did  so,  or  remained  standing,  and  re- 
quested General  Van  Dorn  to  give  him  an  order  to  pass  through 
the  lines  and  return.  The  General  replied  '  certainly,'  took  his 
seat  at  his  writing-table  where  he  always  sat  in  order  to  face  his 
visitors  and  write  what  their  occasions  de-manded,  and  began  writ- 
ing the  passport.  The  wash-stand,  on  which  stood  basin,  pitcher 
of  water,  glasses,  was  in  the  recess  formed  by  the  large  inside 


DIAGRAM    of 

hoi.  BED 


rio-3- 


MUHBER  Iv/o 

Mo-  5.  INSIDE  CHIMMEY 
P(a  6.  DR.PETER'S  CHAIR 

-T  WARDROBE 
Mo-5  .  CHAIRS  AGiAirnsr  VAUU 


Jn[o.  ?.  DOOR  TO 


Appendix.  353 

chimney,  and  to  the  left  of  the  General,  about  five  or  six  feet 
away.  As  he  would  naturally  turn  his  back  while  writing,  this 
brought  the  wash-stand  almost  back  of  his  head  while  thus  turned. 
As  Van  Dorn  was  writing,  the  murderer  remarked  that  he  would 
take  a  glass  of  water,  and  suiting  the  action  to  the  word  stepped 
past  the  General  into  the  recess,  quietly  pulled  out  his  pistol, 
placed  it  within  a  few  inches  of  his  unsuspecting  victim's  head 
and  fired,  as  the  latter  signed  his  name  to  the  passport.  His  fair 
brown  hair  was  singed  by  the  powder.  He,  the  General,  at  once 
fell  straight  back  in  his  chair,  his  head  resting  against  the  window 
pane,  his  right  arm  on  the  table  and  his  left  in  his  lap,  the  very 
position  in  which  he  was  writing,  while  his  murderer  picked  up  the 
passport  (to  use  peradventure  he  should  fall  in  with  any  of  our 
pickets  as  he  rode  for  the  enemy's  line),  put  on  his  hat,  walked 
out  of  the  room  and  the  front  door  of  the  house — had  he  run  he 
would  have  attracted  attention  and  suspicion,  and  consequent 
action — got  on  his  horse  and  rode  off. 

"  Observe,  that  General  Van  Dorn  was  seated  in  his  chair  with 
his  back  to  the  window,  and  was  "shot  in  the  center  of  the  back 
of  his  head.  He  was  not  shot  through  the  window  (as  some  have 
supposed),  because  the  glass  was  not  broken.  There  was  no 
struggle  of  any  kind,  no  furniture  disarranged.  There  was  no 
quarrel,  or  General  Van  Dorn  would  not  have  permitted  the  man, 
unopposed,  to  have  quietly  stepped  past  him  into  the  recess  and 
thus  shot  him  from  behind.  The  General  could  not  possibly  have 
had  any  intimation  of  the  man's  hostile  intentions,  he  would  not 
have  been  quietly  writing  while  the  other  stepped  past  him  and 
then  shot  him.  And  he  must  have  been  writing  at  the  man's  re- 
quest, because  while  receiving  a  visitor  he  would  not  have  gone 
to  writing  except  at  the  latter's  instance,  and  the  pen  was  still 
wet  with  ink,  yet  nothing  written  was  there.  The  man,  there- 
fore, must  have  been  interested  in  it,  for  he  took  it  away  with  him. 
To  me  the  matter  is  as  clear  as  daylight. 

"  In  ten  minutes  the  body-guard  was  mounted  and,  in  different 
squads,  racing  along  every  road  that  led  to  the  enemy's  lines,  and 
the  assassin's  house,  with  orders  from  me  to  kill  him  on  the  spot — 
that  I  did  not  want  him  as  a  prisoner — and  they  were  willing 
enough  to  obey,  loving  their  General  as  every  man  of  them  did, 
and  infuriated  with  revengeful  feeling.  But,  as  we  discovered 
upon  inspection  later,  the  assassin  did  not  keep  the  roads  but  made 

23 


354  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

his  way  straight  across  the  fields  on  leaving  Spring  Hill.  We 
followed  his  horse's  hoofs,  and  found  the  stone  walls  broken  down 
all  the  way  to  the  woods  where  we  lost  his  tracks.  He  had  care- 
fully prepared  for  this  the  day  before. 

"  The  whole  affair  is  almost  as  vividly  before  me  as  if  it  had 
occurred  last  week,  and  I  have  given  you  an  accurate  account 
of  it." 

Telegram   from  Major-General  Earl   Van  Dorn,   commanding 
Trans-Mississippi  District. 

"  March  9,  1862. 

"  Fought  the  enemy  about  20,000  strong,  7th  and  8th  at  Elk- 
horn,  Arkansas.  Battle  first  day  from  10  a.  m.  until  after  dark; 
loss  heavy  on  both  sides.  Generals  McCulloch  and  Mclntosh 
and  colonel  Hebert  were  killed ;  Generals  Price  and  Slack 
wounded — General  Price,  flesh  wound  in  the  arm ;  the  others  badly 
wounded,  if  not  mortally ;  many  officers  killed  and  wounded ;  but 
as  there  is  some  doubt  in  regard  to  several,  I  cannot  yet  report 
their  names.  Slept  on  the  battle-field  first  night,  having  driven 
the  enemy  from  their  position.  The  death  of  Generals  McCul- 
loch and  Mclntosh  and  Colonel  Hebert  early  in  the  action  threw 
the  troops  on  the  right  under  their  command  into  confusion.  The 
enemy  took  a  second  and  strong  position.  Being  without  pro- 
visions and  the  right  wing  somewhat  disorganized,  I  determined 
to  give  battle  on  the  right  on  their  front  for  the  purpose  only  of 
getting  off  the  field  without  the  danger  of  a  panic,  which  I  did 
with  success,  but  some  losses. 

"  I  am  now  encamped  with  my  whole  army  14  miles  west  of 
Fayetteville,  having  gone  entirely  around  the  enemy.  I  am  sepa- 
rated from  my  train,  but  think  it  safe  on  the  Elm  Springs  road  to 
Boston  Mountains.  The  reason  why  I  determined  to  give  battle 
at  once  upon  my  arrival  to  assume  command  of  the  army  I  will 
give  in  report  at  an  early  day. 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN, 

"  Major-General  Commanding." 

"General  A.  Sidney  Johnston,  Decatur. 

" Copy  to  Secretary  of  War,  Hon.  J.  P.  Benjamin" 


Appendix.  355 

"  VAN  BUREN,  ARK.,  March  17,  1862. 
"  General  Cooper,  Adjutant-General  C.  S.  Army: 

"  GENERAL  : — I  have  the  honor  to  request  that  the  President 
will  be  pleased  to  confer  the  rank  of  colonel  anl  lieutenant-colonel 
in  the  Provisional  Army  of  the  Confederate  States,  upon  each  of 
the  following  named  officers :  Capt.  W.  R.  Bradfute,  colonel ; 
Capt.  W.  N.  R.  Beall,  colonel ;  Capt.  Philip  Stockton,  colonel ; 
Lieut.  L.  L.  Lomax,  lieutenant-colonel ;  Lieut.  M.  M.  Kimmel, 
lieutenant-colonel ;  Lieut.  F.  C.  Armstrong,  lieutenant-colonel  ;• 
Lieut.  Ed.  Dillon,  lieutenant-colonel ;  Lieut.  Charles  Pfiefer, 
lieutenant-colonel. 

"  I  need  not  remind  you  that  all  of  these  gentlemen  have  been 
for  many  years  in  the  military  profession.  But  I  desire  most  ear- 
nestly to  impress  upon  you  the  necessity  for  my  having  out  here 
experienced  and  educated  officers  of  rank,  sufficient  to  enable  me 
to  use  their  information  and  attainments  to  good  effect. 

"  In  the  recent  operations  against  the  enemy  on  Sugar  Creek 
I  found  the  want  of  military  knowledge  and  discipline  among  the 
higher  officers  to  be  so  great  as  to  countervail  their  gallantry  and 
the  fine  courage  of  their  troops.  I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying 
that  could  have  I  substituted  some  of  the  officers  above  named 
(who  exerted  themselves  most  nobly  to  insure  the  success  of  our 
arms  on  the  bloody  field  of  Elkhorn)  for  some  of  the  highest 
commanders,  my  orders  would  have  been  promptly  and  intelli- 
gently carried  out,  and  the  enemy's  army  put  to  utter  rout. 

"  These  gentlemen  have  been  most  faithfully  serving  our  cause 
since  they  left  the  Army  of  the  old  United  States,  but  they  are  in 
false  positions,  without  a  degree  of  rank  commensurate  with 
their  value  and  services,  and  it  is  utterly  impossible  to  endeavor 
to  use  their  experience  to  the  best  advantage  unless  this  is  reme- 
died. 

"  I  cannot  convey  to  you  a  correct  idea  of  the  crudeness  of  the 
material  with  which  I  have  to  deal  in  organizing  an  army  out 
here.  There  is  an  absolute  want  of  any  degree  of  sound  military 
information,  and  even  an  ignorance  of  the  value  of  such  informa- 
tion. Nowhere  in  the  Confederacy  is  it  more  important  that 
educated  officers  should  be  placed  in  high  positions  than  in  the 
district  I  have  the  honor  to  command. 

"  The  greatest  need  I  have  is  for  good  brigadiers,  and  I  therefore 
hope  you  will  urge  immediate  action  upon  the  recommendation 


356  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

I  made  by  telegraph  for  promotions  to  this  grade.  I  enclose  a 
copy  of  those  nominations,  and  am,  very  respectfully,  your 
obedient  servant, 

EARL  VAN  DORN, 

Major-General. 

"  VAN  BUREN,  ARK.,  March  17,  1862. 
"  General  A.  Sidney  Johnston,  C.  S.  A.: 

"  I  am  at  Van  Buren  with  the  army,  preparing  to  march  to 
Pocahontas.  Will  get  off  by  the  22d,  and  will  reach  Pocahontas 
by  the  7th  or  8th  of  April,  with  15,000  men.  I  will  operate  to 
assist  the  army  on  the  Mississippi.  It  is  reported  that  the  army 
of  the  enemy  have  left  Arkansas  for  Springfield.  I  will  know 
positively  to-morrow  or  next  day.  The  country  in  this  vicinity 
will  no  longer  support  an  army. 

"  Have  any  troops  been  ordered  to  report  to  me  other  than  those 
called  for  by  me  from  the  States  of  Arkansas,  Louisiana,  and 
Texas  ? 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN, 

"  Major-General." 

DES  ARC,  ARK.,  April  7,  1862. 
All  troops,  etc.,  embarked  for  Memphis  to  go  to  the  aid  of  Gen.  Beauregard, 

"  DES  ARC.,  ARK.,  April  9,  1862. 
"  To  the  Inspector-General: 

"  Make  every  effort  to  get  some  of  the  captured  arms  for  my 
command,  or  any  arms  you  can  get ;  also  all  the  ammunition  you 
can.  Send  to  General  Beauregard  in  my  name.  Keep  him  in- 
formed of  all  arrivals  of  troops  here.  Inquire  if  it  will  be  neces- 
sary for  me  to  send  over  any  wagons  and  teams,  and  how  many. 
Send  more  steamboats.  I  am  moving  too  slowly.  Show  this  to 
Adams.  Impress  the  quartermaster  at  Memphis  with  the  im- 
portance of  preparing  forage  for  me. 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN, 

"  Major-General" 

Reports  of  Brig.-Gen.  S.  R.  Curtis,  U.  S.  A. 

"  SUGAR  CREEK  HOLLOW,  ARK.,  March  6,  1862. 
"  CAPTAIN  : — Van  Dorn,  Price   and   McCulloch   are  moving 


Appendix.  357 

down  on  us.  Have  ordered  all  my  detachments  to  concentrate 
here,  and  I  am  locating  my  force  to  repel  an  attack.  The  enemy 
is  reported  at  from  20,000  to  30,000  fighting  men.  They  burned 
the  Seminole  College  in  Fayetteville,  night  gefore  last,  and  last 
night  their  advance  camp  was  at  Elm  Springs,  about  21  miles  from 
here.  Sigel  last  night  was  4^/2  miles  southwest  from  Bentonville, 
14  miles  from  here,  but  he  was  to  march  at  2  this  morning,  and 
must  be  near  by.  A  detachment  under  Colonel  Vandever  entered 
and  took  Huntsville  last  night,  taking  two  prisoners.  That  de- 
tachment will  also  be  in  before  the  enemy  can  reach  me.  We  will 
give  them  the  best  show  we  can.  The  weather  is  cold  and  snow- 
ing. 

"  SAMUEL  R.  CURTIS, 

"  Brigadier-General." 
"  Capt.  N.  H.  McLean, Asst.- Ad jt. -General." 

"  PEA  RIDGE,  ARK.,  March  9,  1862. 

"  SIR  : — On  Thursday,  the  6th  instant,  enemy  commenced  the 
attack  on  my  right,  assailing  and  following  the  rear  guard  of  the 
detachment  under  General  Sigel  to  my  main  lines  on  Sugar  Creek 
Hollow,  but  on  that  occasion  ceased  firing  when  he  met  my  rein- 
forcements about  4  p.  m.  During  the  night  I  became  convinced 
he  had  moved  on  so  as  to  attack  my  right  or  rear.  Therefore, 
early  on  the  7th  I  ordered  a  change  of  front  to  the  right  on  my 
right,  my  right  thus  becoming  my  left,  still  resting  on  Sugar  Creek 
Hollow.  This  brought  my  line  crossing  Pea  Ridge,  my  new 
right  resting  on  the  head  of  Cross  Timber  Hollow,  which  is  the 
head  of  Big  Sugar  Creek.  I  also  ordered  an  immediate  advance 
of  cavalry  and  light  artillery — Colonel  Osterhaus — with  orders 
to  attack  and  break  what  I  supposed  would  be  a  reenforced  line  of 
the  enemy.  This  movement  was  in  progress  when  the  enemy,  at 
ii  a.  m.,  commenced  an  attack  on  my  right.  The  fight  continued 
mainly  at  these  points  during  the  day,  the  enemy  having  gained 
my  position  so  hardly  contested  by  Colonel  Carr  at  the  Cross  Tim- 
ber Hollow,  but  being  entirely  repulsed,  with  the  loss  of  the  com- 
mander, General  McCulloch,  in  the  center,  commanded  by  Colo- 
nel Davis. 

"  The  plan  of  attack  on  the  center  was  gallantly  carried  forward 
by  Colonel  Osterhaus,  who  was  immediately  sustained  and  super- 
ceded  by  Colonel  Davis'  entire  division,  supported  also  by  General 


358  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

Sigel's  command,  which  remained  till  near  the  close  of  the  day 
on  the  left.  Colonel  Carr's  division  held  the  right  under  a  galling, 
continuous  fire  all  day.  In  the  evening,  the  firing  having  entirely 
ceased  in  the  center  and  there  having  been  none  on  the  left,  I  re- 
enforced  the  right  by  a  portion  of  the  Second  Division,  under 
General  Asboth.  Before  the  day  closed  I  was  convinced  the 
enemy  had  concentrated  his  main  effort  on  my  right.  I  therefore 
commenced  another  change  of  my  front,  so  as  to  face  the  enemy 
where  he  had  deployed  on  my  right  flank  in  strong  position.  The 
change  was  only  partially  effective,  but  fully  in  progress,  when  at 
sunrise  on  the  8th  my  right  and  center  renewed  the  firing,  which 
was  immediately  answered  by  the  enemy  with  renewed  energy 
and  extended  line.  My  left,  under  General  Sigel,  moved  close  to 
the  hills  occupied  by  the  enemy,  driving  him  from  heights  and  ad- 
vancing steadily  toward  the  head  of  the  hollows.  I  immediately 
ordered  the  center  and  right  wing  forward,  the  right  turning  the 
left  of  the  enemy  and  cross-firing  on  his  center.  This  final  po- 
sition enclosed  the  enemy  in  an  arc  of  a  circle.  A  charge  of  infan- 
try extending  throughout  the  whole  line  completely  routed  the 
whole  rebel  force,  which  retired  in  great  confusion,  but  rather 
safely,  through  the  deep,  impassable  defiles  of  Cross  Timber. 

"  Our  loss  is  heavy.  The  enemy's  can  never  be  ascertained,  for 
the  dead  are  scattered  over  a  large  field,  and  their  wounded,  too, 
may,  many  of  them,  be  lost  and  perish.  The  foe  is  scattered  in  all 
directions,  but  I  think  his  main  force  has  returned  to  Boston 
Mountains.  General  Sigel  follows  towards  Keetsville,  while  my 
cavalry  is  pursuing  him  toward  the  mountains,  scouring  the  coun- 
try, bringing  in  prisoners,  and  trying  to  find  the  rebel  Major- 
General  Van  Dorn,  who  had  command  of  the  entire  force  of  the 
enemy  at  the  battle  of  Pea  Ridge.  I  have  not  as  yet  the  state- 
ments of  the  dead  and  wounded  so  as  to  justify  a  report,  but  I 
will  refer  you  to  despatch  I  will  forward  very  soon. 

"  The  officers  and  soldiers  in  this  command  have  displayed  such 
unusual  gallantry  I  hardly  dare  to  make  distinctions.  I  must, 
however,  name  all  my  commanders  of  divisions.  General  Sigel, 
who  gallantly  carried  the  heights  and  drove  back  the  left  wing 
of  the  enemy ;  Brigadier-General  Asboth,  who  is  wounded  in  the 
arm,  in  his  gallant  effort  to  reenforce  thef  right ;  Colonel  and 
Acting  Brigadier-General  Davis  (Jeff  C),  who  commands  the 
center,  where  McCulloch  fell  on  the  ^th,  and  pressed  forward 


Appendix.  359 

the  center  on  the  8th ;  Colonel  and  Acting  Brigadier-General  E. 
A.  Carr,  who  is  also  wounded  in  the  arm,  and  was  under  continu- 
ous fire  of  the  enemy  during  the  two  hardest  days'  struggling, 
where  the  scattered  dead  of  friend  and  foe  attest  the  hardest  of 
the  struggling.  Commanders  of  brigades  Colonels  Dodge,  Oster- 
haus,  Vandever,  White,  Schaefer,  Pattison,  and  Grensel,  distin- 
guished ;  but  for  their  gallantry  and  that  of  others  I  must  refer  to 
reports  of  division  commanders. 

"  (Tenders  thanks  to  his  staff  officers,  etc.),  Indiana,  Illinois, 
Iowa,  Ohio,  and  Missouri  very  proudly  share  the  honor  of  victory 
which  their  gallant  heroes  won  over  the  combined  forces  of  Van 
Dorn,  Price,  and  McCulloch  at  Pea  Ridge  in  the  Ozark  Mount- 
ains of  Arkansas. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  Captain,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  SAMUEL  R.  CURTIS, 

"  Brigadier-General," 
"  Capt.  J.  C.  Kelton,  Asst.  Ad jt. -General. 

"  PEA  RIDGE,  March  10,  1862. 

"  CAPTAIN  : — The  main  force  of  the  Rebel  Army,  under  Gen- 
erals Van  Dorn,  Price,  and  Pike  retreated  by  a  short  turn  and  by- 
road from  Cross  Timber  Hollow  toward  Huntsville,  camping  the 
frst  ni<;ht  at  Van  Winkle's  Mill,  on  War  Eagle,  south  of  White 
River.  Green,  with  some  8,000  or  10,000,  moved  through  Ben- 
tonville,  my  cavalry  driving  his  rear  guard  out  of  that  place,  with 
the  loss  of  one  man.  These  two  movements  probably  contemplate 
a  junction  in  Boston  Mountains.  • 

"  I  move  two  divisions  a  few  miles  forward  to-day.  A  detach- 
ment of  100  men,  under  Captain  Schaumberg,  with  a  white  flag, 
from  General  Van  Dorn,  comes  to  assist  in  collecting  and  burying 
the  dead. 

"  The  enemy  has  lost  very  heavily.  Among  their  officers  are 
Generals  McCollough,  Mclntosh,  and  Slack  killed ;  also  Colonel 
McCulloch,  a  nephew  of  the  General.  Captain  Clark,  son  of 
Major  Meri wether  Clark,  is  killed,  besides  many  more  whose 
names  may  be  furnished. 

"  I  send  copy  of  correspondence  with  General  Van  Dorn. 

"  SAMUEL  R.  CURTIS, 
"  Brigadier-General  Commanding." 
"  Capt.  N.  H.  McLean,  Asst.  Adjt.-Gen.,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 


360  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

"  HEADQRS.  TRANS.,  Miss.  DISTRICT,  March  9,  1862. 
"  To  the  Commanding  Officer  of  the  U.  S.  Troops  on  Sugar  Creek, 

Ark. 

SIR: — In  accordance  with  the  usages  of  war,  I  have  the  honor 
to  request  that  you  will  permit  the  burial  party,  whom  I  send  from 
this  army  with  a  flag  of  truce,  to  attend  to  the  duty  of  collecting 
and  interring  the  bodies  of  the  officers  and  men  who  fell  during 
the  engagements  of  the  7th  and  8th  instants. 
"  Very  respectfully,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN, 
"  Major-General,  Confederate  Army" 

"  PEA  RIDGE,  ARK.,  March  9,  1862. 
" Earl  Van  Dorn,  Commanding  Confederate  Forces: 

"  SIR  : — The  General  commanding  is  in  receipt  of  yours  of  the 
9th,  saying  that  in  accordance  with  the  usages  of  war  you  send  a 
party  to  collect  and  bury  the  dead.  I  am  directed  to  say  all  possi- 
ble facilities  will  be  given  for  burying  the  dead,  many  of  which 
have  already  been  interred.  Quite  a  number  of  your  surgeons 
have  fallen  into  our  hands  and  are  permitted  to  act  under  parole, 
and  under  a  general  order  from  Major-General  Halleck  further 
liberty  will  be  allowed  them  if  such  accommodations  be  recipro- 
cated by  you.  The  General  regrets  that  we  find  on  the  battle- 
field, contrary  to  civilized  warfare,  many  of  the  Federal  dead  who 
were  tomahawked,  scalped,  and  their  bodies  shamefully  mangled, 
and  expresses  the  hope  that  this  important  struggle  may  not  de- 
generate to  a  savage  warfare. 

"  T.   I.   McKENNY, 

"  Acting  Asst.-Adjt.-General. 
"  By  order  of  Brig.-Gen.  S.  R.  Curtis." 

"PEA  RIDGE,  March  n,  1862. 

"  SIR  : — I  have  finished  burying  the  dead,  and  made  the  best 
provisions  I  can  for  the  wounded.  Two  divisions  have  advanced 
6  miles,  and  my  cavalry  has  scoured  the  country  this  side  of  Fay- 
etteville.  The  enemy  has  retreated,  as  before  stated,  beyond  the 
Boston  Mountains.  I  send  forward  prisoners,  some  500. 

"  In  reference  to  a  verbal  communication  from  General  Van 
Dorn,  I  have  expressed  a  willingness  to  exchange  prisoners  oi 
equivalent  rank,  and  hope  in  this  way  to  obtain  some  officers  that 


Appendix.  361 

I  very  much  desire.  It  is  warm,  delightful  weather,  and  roads 
are  excellent.  I  move  my  headquarters  near  to  Bentonville,  to 
get  away  from  the  stench  and  desolation  of  the  battle  ground,  and 
the  better  to  overlook  the  approaches  to  the  Boston  Mountains.  A 
scout  informs  me  that  forces  were  to  advance  from  Fort  Scott 
five  or  six  days  ago,  but  that  Hunter  and  Lane  were  both  absent. 
What  is  the  matter  out  there  ? 

"  Respectfully, 

"  SAMUEL  R.  CURTIS, 

"  Brig.-Gen.  Commanding." 
"  Capt.  7.  C.  Kelton,  Asst.  Ad jt. -General: 

"  NEAR  BENTONVILLE,  ARK.,  March  13,  1862. 
"CAPTAIN: — Duringthebattlewelostsix  guns,  but  we  recovered 
all  back  and  took  five  from  the  enemy.  I  have  also  taken  a  large 
number  of  small-arms  which  the  rebels  threw  away.  My  loss 
of  yilled  and  wounded  will  exceed  my  estimate  of  i  ,000.  General 
Pike  commanded  the  Indian  forces.  They  shot  arrows  as  well  as 
rifles,  and  tomahawked  and  scalped  prisoners. 

"Was  my  dispatch  of  the  I5th  instant,  telling  you  of  the  ap- 
proach of  the  enemy  and  my  arrangements  to  receive  him,  taken 
by  the  enemy  or  received  at  headquarters?  Much  mail  matter 
was  taken  by  him. 

"  SAMUEL  R.  CURTIS, 

"  Brigadier-General." 

"  General  Samuel  R.  Curtis. 

"  VAN  BUREN,  ARK.,  March  14,  1862. 

"  GENERAL  : — I  am  instructed  by  Major-General  Van  Dorn, 
commanding  this  district,  to  express  to  you  his  thanks  and  grati- 
fication on  account  of  the  courtesy  extended  by  yourself  and  the 
officers  under  your  command  to  the  burial  party  sent  by  him  to 
your  camp  on  the  9th  instant. 

"  He  is  pained  to  learn  by  your  letter,  brought  to  him  by  the 
commanding  officer  of  the  party,  that  the  remains  of  some  of  your 
soldiers  have  been  reported  to  you  to  have  been  scalped,  toma- 
hawked, and  otherwise  mutilated. 

"  He  hopes  you  have  been  misinformed  with  regard  to  this  mat- 
ter; the  Indians  who  formed  part  of  his  forces  having  for  many 
years  been  regarded  as  civilized  people.  He  will,  however,  most 


362  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

cordially  unite  with  you  in  repressing  the  horrors  of  this  unnatural 
war,  and  that  you  may  cooperate  with  him  to  this  end  more  effec- 
tually, he  desires  me  to  inform  you  that  many  of  our  men  who 
surrendered  themselves  prisoners  of  war  were  reported  to  him  as 
having  been  murdered  in  cold  blood  by  their  captors,  who  were 
alleged  to  be  Germans. 

"  The  General  commanding  feels  sure  that  you  will  do  your  part, 
as  he  will,  in  preventing  such  atrocities  in  future,  and  that  the 
perpetrators  of  them  will  be  brought  to  justice,  whether  German 
or  Choctaw. 

"  The  privileges  which  you  extend  to  our  medical  officers  will 
be  reciprocated,  and  as  soon  as  possible  means  will  be  taken  for 
an  exchange  of  prisoners. 

"  I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully  yours, 

"  DABNEY  H.  MAURY, 

"  Asst.  Ad jt. -General!' 

After  General  Curtis'  long  report  regarding  the  disposition  of 
his  forces  in  Arkansas,  he  states:  "That  the  arrival  of  Major- 
General  Van  Dorn  on  the  2  of  March  in  the  camp  of  the  enemy 
was  the  occasion  of  great  rejoicing  and  the  firing  of  forty  guns. 
The  rebel  force  was  harangued  by  their  chiefs  with  boastful  and 
passionate  appeals,  assuring  them  of  their  superior  numbers  and 
the  certainty  of  an  easy  victory.  Despatches  were  published 
falsely  announcing  a  great  battle  at  Columbus,  Ky.,  in  which  we 
had  lost  three  gunboats  and  20,000  men  ;  and  thus  the  rebels  hordes 
were  assembled.  The  occasion  was  now  opened  to  drive  the  in- 
vaders from  the  soil  of  Arkansas  and  give  a  final  and  successful 
blow  to  a  Southern  Confederacy. 

"  The  5th  of  March  was  cold  and  blustering.  The  snow  fell 
so  as  to  cover  the  ground.  No  immediate  attack  was  apprehended 
and  I  was  engaged  writing.  About  2  o'clock  p.  m.  scouts  and 
fugitive  citizens  came  in,  informing  me  of  the  rapid  approach  of 
the  enemy  to  give  me  battle.  His  cavalry  would  be  at  Elm 
Springs,  some  12  miles  distant,  that  night,  and  his  artillery  had 
already  passed  Fayetteville." 

"  Native  Americans  and  foreigners  of  varied  nationalities  have 
been  aptly  blended,  and  the  fraternity  of  the  troops  finds  its  coun- 
terpart in  that  prevailing  between  the  officers  and  commanders." 


Appendix.  363 

"Hon.  J.  Benjamin,  Secretary  of  War,  Richmond,  Va. 

"  VAN  BUREN,  ARK.,  March  18,  1862. 

"  SIR  : — I  avail  myself  of  the  opportunity  offered  me  by  the  de- 
parture of  Dr.  O.  B.  Knobe  for  Richmond,  to  inform  you  that  the 
entire  army  I  marched  against  the  enemy  some  days  since  is  now 
in  camp  a  few  miles  from  this  place,  and  that  I  shall  march  in  a 
few  days  for  Pocahontas,  to  make  a  junction  with  whatever  force 
may  be  assembled  at  that  point. 

"  It  is  my  intention  to  fall  upon  the  force  of  the  enemy  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  New  Madrid  or  Cape  Girordeau,  and  attempt  to  relieve 
General  Beauregard,  and  if  practicable,  I  shall  march  on  St.  Louis, 
and  thus  withdraw  the  forces  now  threatening  this  part  of  the 
State  of  Arkansas. 

"  The  army  cannot  be  subsisted  here  any  longer ;  neither  do  I 
think  that  the  enemy  can  make  any  serious  demonstrations  from 
here  until  later  in  the  spring. 

"  I  send  several  thousand  cavalry  off  in  a  few  days  via  Forsyth, 
on  White  River,  to  burn  up  the  depots  of  the  enemy  at  Springfield, 
and  to  destroy  his  immense  trains,  which  go  to  and  fro  nearly  un- 
guarded. They  will  then  join  me  at  Pocahontas.  I  shall  order 
Pike  to  operate  in  the  Indian  country  west  of  this  to  cut  off 
trains,  annoy  the  enemy  in  his  marches,  and  to  prevent  him,  as 
far  as  possible,  from  supplying  his  troops  from  Missouri  and 
Kansas.  He  cannot  supply  them  here.  I  have  debated  this  move- 
ment in  my  own  mind  and  think  that  it  is  the  best  that  I  can 
make. 

"  I  attempted  first  to  beat  the  enemy  at  Elkhorn,  but  a  series  of 
accidents  entirely  unforeseen  and  not  under  my  control,  and  a 
badly  diseciplined  army,  defeated  my  intentions.  The  deaths  of 
McCulloch  and  Mclntosh,  and  the  capture  of  Hebert,  left  me 
without  an  officer  to  command  the  right  wing,  which  was  thrown 
into  utter  confusion,  and  the  strong  position  of  the  enemy  the 
second  day  left  me  no  alternative  but  to  retire  from  the  contest. 
A  heavy  blow  was  struck  them,  however,  and  they  are  somewhat 
paralyzed.  I  shall  march  to  another  field  before  they  recover,  and 
before  their  re-inforcements  arrive,  which  they  are  daily  expect- 
ing. 

"  If  I  give  battle  to  the  troops  near  New  Madrid  I  relieve 
Beauregard.  If  I  find  this  not  advisable  or  practicable,  I  shall 
march  boldly  and  rapidly  tomards  St.  Louis,  between  Ironton  and 


364  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

the  enemy's  grand  depot  at  Rolle.  I  think  I  shall  accomplish 
something  in  that  direction. .  .  I  shall  at  all  events  tax  my 
cause,  and  I  earnestly  hope  that  I  may  be  successful. 

"  I  shall  not  be  able  to  make  my  report  of  the  battle  of  Elkhorn 
for  some  time  on  account  of  the  difficulty  I  have  in  getting  sub- 
ordinate reports.  Our  loss  was  not  as  heavy,  however,  as  I  had 
thought  and  as  was  reported  to  me,  not  being  more  than  800  or 
1,000  killed  and  wounded,  and  between  200  and  300  prisoners. 

"  The  enemy's  loss  was  about  800  or  1,000  killed,  and  1,000 
or  1,200  wounded,  and  about  300  prisoners.  We  also  took  two 
batteries  of  artillery,  one  of  which  was  destroyed  by  fire — burnt 
up. 

"  The  enemy's  position  was  a  strong  one,  but  we  drove  him  from 
it,  and  slept  on  our  arms  on  the  field  of  battle,  night  closing  the 
first  day's  battle. 

"  The  second  day  we  found  him  at  daylight  in  a  new  and 
stronger  position  to  the  rear  of  his  first,  about  2  miles  off.  From 
all  the  circumstances  which  surrounded  me  I  determined  to  with- 
draw. I  therefore  made  a  demonstration  in  front  to  cover  the 
movement  and  put  the  army  on  the  road  toward  Huntsville,  to- 
wards the  east,  and  retired  with  a  heavy  heart,  but  with  a  determin- 
ation to  recover  as  soon  as  possible  and  fight  again.  I  was  not 
defeated,  but  only  failed  in  my  intentions.  I  am  yet  sanguine  of 
success,  and  will  not  cease  to  repeat  my  blows  whenever  the  op- 
portunity is  offered. 

"  Very  respectfully,  sir,  I  am,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  EARL  VAN  DORN, 

"  Major-General." 

"  HEADQUARTERS  TRANS-MISSISSIPPI  DISTRICT. 

"  VAN  BUREN,  ARK.,  March  16,  1862. 
"  General  Orders,  No.  7. 

"  The  Major-General  commanding  this  district  desires  to  ex- 
press to  the  troops  his  admiration  for  their  conduct  during  the 
recent  expedition  against  the  enemy.  Since  leaving  camp  in 
Boston  Mountains  they  have  been  incessantly  exposed  to  the  hard- 
ships of  a  winter  campaign  and  have  endured  such  privations  as 
troops  rarely  encounter. 

"  In  the  engagements  of  the  6th,  7th  and  8th  instant  it  was  the 
fortune  of  the  Major-General  commanding  to  be  immediately  with 


Appendix.  365 

Tfie  Missouri  division,  and  he  can  therefore  bear  personal  testi- 
mony to  their  gallant  bearing. 

"  From  the  noble  veteran  who  has  led  them  so  long  to  the 
gallant  S.  Churchill  Clark,  who  fell  while  meeting  the  enemy's 
last  charge,  the  Missourians  proved  themselves  devoted  patriots 
and  staunch  soldiers.  He  met  the  enemy  on  his  chosen  positions 
and  took  them  from  him.  'They  captured  four  of  his  cannon  and 
many  prisoners.  They  drove  him  from  his  field  of  battel  and 
slept  upon  it. 

"  The  victorious  advance  of  McCulloch's  division  upon  the  strong 
position  of  the  enemy's  front  was  inevitably  checked  by  the 
misfortunes  which  now  sadden  the  hearts  of  our  countrymen 
throughout  the  Confederacy.  McCulloch  and  Mclntosh  fell  in 
the  very  front  of  the  battle  and  in  the  full  tide  of  success.  With 
them  went  down  theconfidence  and  hopes  of  their  troops.  No 
success  can  repair  the  loss  of  such  leaders.  It  is  only  left  to  us 
to  mourn  their  untimely  fall,  emulate  their  heroic  courage,  and 
avenge  their  death. 

"  You  have  inflicted  upon  the  enemy  a  heavy  blow,  but  we  must 
prepare  at  once  to  march  against  him  again.  All  officers  and  men 
must  be  diligent  in  perfecting  themselves  in  knowledge  of  tactics 
and  of  camp  discipline.  The  regulations  of  the  army  upon  this 
subject  must  be  rigidly  enforced. 

"  By  order  of  Major-General  Earl  Van  Dorn." 

"  DABNEY  H.  MAURY, 

"  Asst.-Adjutant-General" 

REPORT  OF  GENERAL  PRICE  OF  BATTLE  OF  PEA  RIDGE  OR  ELKHORN. 

"  CAMP  BEN  MCCULLOCH,  Mo.,  March  22,  1862. 

"  COLONEL  : — I  have  the  honor  to  submit  to  Major-General  Van 
Dorn  the  following  report  of  the  part  taken  by  the  Missouri  troops 
in  the  action  of  the  6th,  7th,  and  8th  instant : 

"  That  officer  having  arrived  at  Cove  Creek  and  assumed  com- 
mand of  the  Confederate  forces  in  Western  Arkansas,  I  gladly 
placed  myself  and  my  army  under  his  orders,  and  in  obedience  to 
these  took  up  the  line  of  march  in  the  direction  of  Bentonville  on 
the  morning  of  March  4,  provided  with  three  days'  cooked  ra- 
tions, and  having  my  baggage  and  supply  trains  to  follow  slowly 
in  the  rear. 


366  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

"  My  forces  consisted  of  the  First  Brigade  Missouri  Volunteers, 
Colonel  Henry  Little  commanding;  the  Second  Brigade,  Brigadier- 
General  Slack  commanding;  a  battalion  of  cavalry,  under  com- 
mand of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Carnal,  and  the  State  troops,  under 
the  command  of  Brigadier-General  Raines,  Green,  and  Frost,  Colo- 
nels John  B.  Clark,  Jr.,  and  James  P.  Saunders,  and  Major  Lind- 
say, numbering  in  all  6,8 1 8  men,  with  eight  batteries  of  light 
artillery. 

"  With  these  I  reached  Elm  Springs  on  the  evening  of  the  5th, 
and  on  the  morning  of  the  6th  advanced  to  Bentonville,  where 
burning  houses  indicated  the  presence  of  the  enemy.  Colonel 
Gates'  regiment  of  cavalry,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Carnal's  battalion, 
and  the  mounted  men  of  General  Raines'  command  were  rapidly 
pushed  forward  to  the  east  of  the  town,  and  soon  became  briskly 
engaged  with  what  proved  to  be  the  rear  guard  of  General  Sigel's 
forces,  the  main  body  of  which  had  passed  through  Bentonville 
that  morning  in  the  direction  of  Elkhorn  Tavern,  near  which  the 
enemy  were  encamped  in  force  and  strongly  entrenched. 

"  Skirmishing  between  our  advance  and  this  rear  guard  was 
kept  up  throughout  the  day,  and  resulted  in  the  capture  by  us  of 
quite  a  number  of  prisoners,  from  whom  we  gained  much  useful 
information. 

"  Towards  evening  we  bivouacked  as  if  for  the  night  within  5 
or  6  miles  of  the  enemy,  but  resumed  the  line  of  march  at  8  p.  m., 
and,  in  spite  of  the  impediments  with  which  the  enemy  had 
sought  to  obstruct  our  way,  reached  a  point  on  the  Telegraph  road 
to  the  north  and  in  the  rear  of  the  enemy's  position.  A  march  of 
about  2  miles  along  the  deep  valley  through  which  the  road  leads 
brought  us  within  view  of  the  plateau  upon  which  the  enemy 
were  posted,  and  which  lay  to  the  north  of  the  Elkhorn  Tavern. 

"  Our  advance  had  already  begun  to  skirmish  with  the  vedettes 
of  the  enemy,  when  I  discovered  that  they  were  about  to  place  a 
battery  in  position  to  command  the  road.  I  at  once  deployed  the 
brigades  of  General  Slack  and  Colonel  Little  to  the  right,  and  the 
rest  of  my  forces  to  the  left  and  took  possession  of  the  heights  on 
either  hand.  This  movement  gave  my  artillery  on  the  left  a  very 
commanding  position  from  which  they  were  enabled  not  only  to 
check  the  enemy's  advance  upon  our  left,  but  also  to  support  our 
right  in  its  advance  upon  the  enemy. 

"  Thebruntof  the  action  fell  during  the  early  part  of  the  day  upon 


Appendix.  367 

my  right  wing,  consisting  of  General  Slack's  and  Colonel  Little's 
brigades.  They  pushed  forward  gallantly  against  heavy  odds 
and  the  most  stubborn  resistance,  and  were  victorious  everywhere. 

"  At  this  time,  and  here,  fell  two  of  my  best  and  bravest  officers, 
Brig.-General  William  Y.  Slack  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Carnal, 
the  former  mortally  and  the  latter  severely  wounded. 

"  I  now  advanced  my  whole  line,  which  gradually  closed  upon 
the  enemy  and  drove  them  from  one  position  to  another,  until  we 
found  them  towards  evening  in  great  force  on  the  south  and  west 
of  an  open  field,  supported  by  masked  batteries. 

"  The  artillery  and  infantry  of  my  left  wing  were  brought  up 
to  attack  them,  and  they  did  so  with  a  spirit  and  determination 
worthy  of  all  praise.  The  fiercest  struggle  of  the  day  now  ensued ; 
but  the  impetuosity  of  my  troops  was  irresistible,  and  the  enemy 
was  driven  back  and  completely  routed.  My  right  had  engaged 
the  enemy's  center  at  the  same  time  with  equal  daring  and  equal 
success,  and  had  already  driven  them  from  their  position  at  Elk- 
horn  Tavern.  Night  alone  prevented  us  from  achieving  a  com- 
plete victory,  of  which  we  had  already  gathered  some  of  the 
fruits,  having  taken  two  pieces  of  artillery  and  a  quantity  of 
stores. 

"  My  troops  bivouacked  upon  the  ground  which  they  had  so  no- 
bly won,  almost  exhausted  and  without  food,  but  fearlessly  and 
anxiously  awaiting  the  renewal  of  the  battle  in  the  morning. 

"  The  morning  disclosed  the  enemy  strengthened  in  position 
and  numbers,  and  encouraged  by  the  reverses  which  had  unhappily 
befallen  the  other  wing  of  the  army,  when  the  brave  Texan  chief- 
tain, Ben  McCulloch,  and  his  gallant  comrade,  General  Mclntosh, 
had  fallen,  fearlessly  and  triumphantly  leading  their  devoted 
soldiers  against  the  invaders  of  their  native  land.  They  knew, 
too,  that  Hebert — the  accomplished  leader  of  that  veteran  regi- 
ment, the  Louisiana  Third,  which  won  so  many  laurels  on  the 
bloody  field  of  the  Oak  Hills,  and  which  then  as  well  as  now  sus- 
tained the  proud  reputation  of  Louisiana — was  a  prisoner  in  their 
hands.  They  were  not  slow  to  renew  the  attack;  they  opened 
upon  us  vigorously,  but  my  trusty  men  faltered  not.  They  held 
their  position  unmoved  until  (after  several  of  the  batteries  not 
under  my  command  had  left  the  field)  they  were  ordered  to  re- 
tire. My  troops  obeyed  it  unwillingly,  with  faces  turned  defiantly 
against  the  foe. 


368  A  Soldier's  Honor. 

"  It  was  then  that  I  lost  two  officers  of  whom  any  nation  might 
be  proud.  The  one,  Colonel  Benjamin  A.  Rives,  fell  in  the  prime 
of  his  manhood,  at  the  zenith  of  his  usefulness.  No  braver  or 
more  gallant  officer,  no  more  accomplished  gentleman,  no  more 
unselfish  patriot  ever  led  a  regiment  or  died  for  his  country's 
honor.  The  other,  S.  Churchill  Clark,  was,  as  Colonel  Little 
justly  observes  in  his  report,  '  a  child  in  simplicity  and  piety  of 
character,  a  boy  in  years,  but  a  soldier  in  spirit  and  a  hero  in 
action.'  They  fell  at  the  very  close  of  the  hard-fought  battle,  well 
deserving  the  glowing  praises  which  their  immediate  commander 
bestows  upon  them. 

"  My  forces  were  withdrawn  in  perfect  order  without  the  loss 
of  a  gun.  For  the  details  of  all  this  I  beg  leave  to  make  reference 
to  the  accompanying  reports  of  my  subordinate  officers. 

"  The  conduct  of  nearly  every  officer  and  soldier  under  my  com- 
mand was  such  as  to  win  my  admiration ;  it  is  the  less  necessary 
that  I  should  commend  any  one  particularly  to  the  notice  of  the 
Major-General  commanding,  as  the  operations  of  my  arms  were 
conducted  under  his  eye,  while  his  presence  and  gallant  bearing, 
as  well  as  his  skill,  contributed  immeasurably  to  the  success  of  our 
cause. 

"  I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  STERLING  PRICE, 
"Major-General,  Commanding  Missouri  State  Guard." 

"  Ccl  D.  H.  Maury,  Asst.  Adjt.-Gen. 


Appendix.  369 


•NOTE. 

The  father  of  Judge  P.  A.  Van  Dorn  at  the  close  of  the  Revo- 
lutionary War,  bought  large  tracts  of  land  of  John  Cloves  Symmes 
(Judge  Symmes,  afterwards  father-in-law  of  General  Wm.  H. 
Harrison),  in  what  was  then  called  the  "  North  West  Territory," 
and  went  on  horseback  to  what  was  then  an  unknown  wilderness, 
and  located  his  land.  He  took  1,000  acres  where  is  now  the  city 
of  Cincinnati,  and  other  tracts  north  of  that  place  in  the  Miami 
Valley,  the  richest  part  of  Ohio.  But  unfortunately  Judge 
Symmes,  though  getting  his  money  and  giving  title,  had  himself 
no  title  from  the  government,  from  whom  he  had  purchased  the 
lands;  but  learning  of  the  hardship  of  the  case  the  government 
allowed  him  to  keep  the  1,000  acres  at  the  site  of  Cincinnati,  and 
to  exchange  his  other  tracts  for  land  in  other  parts  of  the  Terri- 
tory not  so  rich  or  valuable.  After  getting  this  land  he  offered 
any  of  his  sons  1,000  acres  if  they  would  go  and  settle  on  it.  Jacob 
the  father  of  Judge  P.  A.  Van  Dorn,  and  the  oldest  son,  accepted 
the  offer  and  took  the  Cincinnati  tract  and  went  on  it,  about  the 
year  1786,  there  being  a  block  house  near  the  tract  called  "  Fort 
Washington."  He,  with  two  young  men,  went  to  work,  and  one 
day  while  hoeing  their  corn  the  Indians  crept  up,  fired  on  them, 
killing  one  of  the  party ;  the  others  outran  the  savages  and  es- 
caped into  the  fort.  Jacob  was  so  much  disgusted  at  such  conduct 
that  he  sold  his  land  for  five  dollars  and  a  silver  watch,  saying  he 
would  not  stay  there  to  be  shot  at  by  Indians !  He  then  started 
on  foot  and  alone  for  Jersey,  which,  after  many  hardships  and 
narrow  escapes  from  the  Indians,  and  nearly  starved,  he  reached 
home  to  be  reproached  by  his  mother,  she  saying :  "  Ah,  Jacob, 
I  am  afraid  I  shall  see  you  carrying  the  pillow-case  to  mill,"  re- 
ferring to  a  custom  of  poor  people  who  went  to  mill  on  foot  with 
a  pillow-case  to  hold  the  few  pounds  of  flour  or  meal  they  could 
afford  to  buy.  But  she  was  mistaken, — Jacob  went  to  New  York 
and  settled  in  the  Mohawk  Valley  on  Schoharie  Creek,  married, 
and  owned  when  he  died  a  fine  property  in  land  and  mills. 


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